Thanks for joining us on this journey of building a consistent habit of reading our Bibles every day. The Bible reading plan we are using this year can be found here: One Year Bible or here on the Bible app. As always, if you miss a day, don’t feel compelled to go back and catch up. Just skip it and start back on today’s date. I am reading the NLT this year, but feel free to use whatever version you prefer. Now here are some thoughts from today’s readings:
Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”
– Matthew 8:2
What a profound encounter this leper has with Jesus in Matthew chapter 8! He essentially asks Jesus a compelling question, “I know you have the power to heal me, but are you willing?” Now, this absolutely a question of doubt, but it’s a doubt about God’s heart, not His ability. But before we judge, isn’t this the most common kind of doubt we have?
I think we have the same question a lot of times. We know God has the power to do things, but we wonder if He will. Is He willing? Well, there is only one way to know for sure… The same way the leper found out: get close enough to Jesus to ask Him and for Him to touch you. That’s where most people make a mistake.
The leper didn’t just ask Jesus to touch him. He risked the comfortableness of someone as broken as him trying to get close to someone as holy as Jesus. There were people who were already close to Jesus. They might judge him. He might not do things the right way. He didn’t let any of that stop him. So what are you letting stop you?
What will happen if you get close enough to Jesus for Him to touch you? I bet we’ll find Jesus saying the same thing to us, “I am willing, be clean!” The question now is, are you willing?