By: Shelby Lockhart

“A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, ” If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured” (Mark 1: 40-41).

Leprosy was a disease that was very much despised in early societal times. Lepers were often cast out and were not viewed as citizens in society. The man mentioned in the text, lived with this disease and was not accepted in the community. He probably received stares, harsh comments, was cast out and lived with this problem alone. He wanted a change and he knew that he could only get this change through Jesus Christ. He asked the Lord to make him clean, and it was so! Because most be people viewed lepers as unclean, they probably wouldn’t touch them. But what a loving God we serve! He could have simply said you are healed, but He didn’t. He also reached out His hand and touched the man. Just like the man with leprosy, Jesus will touch each and every one of us. Maybe we aren’t lepers, but we have been sick, we were unpopular, or battled addiction. It doesn’t matter how dirty our sin makes us, how sick we are, or even how popular we are.  He loved us so much that he laid down His own life to make us clean and He accepts us for who and what we are! All it takes is one touch! Let Him touch you with his unfailing love!