Thought for January 12, 2024

  •  1629: 53 Christians are beheaded in Japan for their faith 
  • 1908: Dow Jones closes above 100 for the first time
  • 1943: Frankfurters replaced by Victory Sausages
  • 1946: NFL Champion Cleveland Rams given permission to move to Los Angeles
  • 1948: Gandhi begins his final fast
  • 1952: University of Tennessee admits its first black student
  • 1957: Southern Christian Leadership Council formed
  • 1958: NCAA adopts two-point conversions
  • 1959: Motown Records founded by Barry Gordy
  • 1995: OJ Simpson murder trial begins
  • 2010: Earthquake devastates Haiti
  • Born: Charles Perrault ["Tales of Mother Goose"], John Singer Sargent, Jack London, Tex Ritter, William Lee Golden [Oak Ridge Boys], Joe Frazier, Rush Limbaugh, Howard Stern, Jeff Bezos
  • Died: Henry Alford ["Come Ye Thankful People, Come"], Porcupine[ oldest known rodent dies at age 27], Agatha Christie, Bill Hewlett, Cyrus Vance, Maurice Gibb
Thought:
A couple of the miracles of Jesus involve lepers. Both of these stories are familiar. In Mark 1:40-45, Jesus heals a leper. In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus heals 10 lepers, but only one, the Samaritan, returns to praise God and thank Jesus. Let's look at these encounters with Jesus:
  • The leper in Marks' gospel comes alone with a declaration--“Jesus, if you are willing, You can make me clean." Everyone knew only God could cleanse the leper. In scripture, lepers are never healed--they are cleansed. As they approached others, their shout was "Unclean!" Makes me consider my life. We often pray for Jesus to heal--and He does. But my primary need is not healing, its cleansing. For my righteousness is filthy rags before the Father. I am dirty and corrupted by sin and the world. I need to be washed, purged, cleansed. In Psalm 51 after David has been confronted with his sin with Bathsheba, he prays for the Lord to cleanse him, wash him with hyssop [the brush used to place the blood around the doors to keep the death angel away in Egypt]. So in 2024, my prayer and plea will be--Lord, before you heal, cleanse me. And the word says, if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This leper had faith--Jesus/God could cleanse--the question was is He willing. And just like with the leper, the Savior is willing to cleanse us.
  • In Luke there are 10 lepers. Notice their cry--"Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." Grace is giving something we don't deserve. Mercy is not giving us what we deserve. The lepers ask for mercy--as lepers we deserve to be isolated, treated as unclean, avoided. But in His mercy Jesus calls us friend, child, sister, brother. Notice how Jesus responds--Go and show yourselves to the priest. Anyone claiming to be cleansed of leprosy was instructed in Leviticus to show themselves to the priest. So Jesus is complying with the law. As they are going, they are cleansed.  Jesus tells us what to do to be saved. The lepers could have heard the instructions and said, "I believe that Jesus can cleanse me" or "why do I have to go to the priest". Notice that they were healed as they walked to the priest. Again, believing is an active word--mental assent is not enough. Obedience demonstraates the faith we claim. 
Lord, help me remember my need for cleansing daily. Help me speak and act consistent with the faith I claim. And may all in my life be for Your glory.

Blessings
Larry

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