Be Clean

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.
Mark 1:40–45
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Be Clean
Faith knows that Jesus can. Faith clings to the promises of God. This is what brings the leper to Jesus. This is what causes blind Bartemaus to shout all the more. This is what draws the disciples to Jesus’ side. He wills it. The man’s leprosy is cleansed. But this isn’t his hour. He’ll lift these men and women out of the pit, but he hasn’t come for that reason. They will fall again. They will suffer more. He comes to end the oppression of sin and death. He comes to stomp on the head of Satan and defeat the devil once and for all. This he does. The spoils of his victory he shares with you. He was famous because he healed people. Men are more impressed with signs and wonders. Thank God, Jesus knows better. He died on the cross to take away your sins. He presses on for you. He dies and defeats the devil to make you clean. He wills it. It is the Father’s will. You are the benefactor.