Healing Love

Then a man with a serious skin disease

came to Him,

and, on his knees begged Him:

If You are willing,

You can make me clean.

Moved with compassion,

Jesus reached out his hand and touched him.

"I am willing,"

He told him,

"Be made clean"

Mark 1: 40-41

It was never about the healing, not the physical kind anyway.  Jesus came to draw us to His Father.  His longing was to reach the people, to touch them with the truth.  Because of this healing, he could no longer even enter the town in peace. 

I always used to wonder why he would tell the people he healed not to say anything.  Aren't we supposed to honor God and show our gratitude for his gifts?  But this time, it thwarted the very work he was trying to do. The jostling, shouting crowds wanted a show, not a sermon.  They wanted to be entertained and awed. Some wanted legitimate cures for their various trials, and some just wanted to be part of the excitement.  Hardly anyone wanted to listen and reflect, to pray and repent.

So why do it?  Why not just walk away?  Why not tell the man to consider his sins, to beg for forgiveness, to set his mind on more important matters? 

Because Jesus was "moved with compassion".  In spite of the turmoil created by this one simple act, He cared about the single unimportant man reaching out to him from the side of the road.  He took his pain to heart and longed to give him joy.  

He still does.