I recently heard this song by Matthew West and it amazed me. As most of you know, I was sexually abused as a young child (if you don’t know, read past blogs to read my testimony). I have felt the pain and shame and know how alone this can make you feel. I know how it feels to want to take your own life because you can’t take the shame and who you’ve become. You don’t have to be that way. God stands with open arms waiting to heal you and make you whole. You don’t have to live broken any longer…
A man with leprosy came and knelt before Him and said “Lord if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing”, he said. “Be clean!” Matthew 8: 1-3
It is easy to just read a verse such as this and keep going. But, we need to really stop and consider what God is saying through this. Back in the day, lepers were feared. They were thrown out of their villages and treated as outcasts. It was absolutely the worst thing you could have other than demon possession. They were required to yell out “Unclean! Unclean!” if they came across anyone’s paths. Notice in this Jesus TOUCHED the leper. Now understand that Jesus could have just told him to be healed and it would have been done. But, Jesus knew this man had not been touched in a while. He knew that this man needed to be loved; and it just so happens that this is what Jesus came to do—LOVE. So, Jesus reached out and touched the man…..touched a leper. This was against Jewish law and anyone who even touched a leper was to be punished or even put to death. You see, Jesus didn’t care what the rules said or what other people thought, he wanted to love this man. He wanted this man to be made whole physically and mentally. Do we always love? I know I don’t. I could be a lot better. We are called to love all people no matter how dirty or rotten they may be or we think they may be. Reach out today and touch someone’s life….
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