"I WILL"

There is a simple story contained in the gospel of St. Luke that recently caught my attention.  I haven't heard anyone use this story for the basis of a sermon or teaching before (although I'm sure many have), maybe because it is so very short and the narrative is very direct, but it is for those reasons that it stood out to me.

 

The story is about a leprous man who came to Jesus for healing.  "And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." (Luke 5:12 NKJV).  This man was in a desperate condition.  He didn't have just a touch of leprosy; he was full of leprosy.  His was an extreme case.  Without divine intervention, he likely didn't have much longer to live.  In his desperation he came and fell down at Jesus' feet, begging the Lord to make him clean.  Clearly, the man had faith that Jesus could heal him, but he was unsure whether the Lord was willing to heal him.  Unfortunately, this is where the story ends for many believers.  We may truly believe that God can do anything in our lives, but we're just not sure whether He will.  It is often easier to believe that God will help other people than it is to believe He will help us.  After all, they are more worthy, more committed, more righteous, or more deserving than we are.  Much like the man full of leprosy, we are full of doubts, excuses, cares, fears, or sins that cause us to question the Lord's willingness to touch us.  Lepers lived lonely lives because of the fear that people had of contracting the disease by touching them.  We, too, may sometimes feel untouchable and unlovable by God because we have failed Him in some way.  This is not where God wants our story to end.

 

"And He put forth His hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.  And He charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them." (Luke 5:13).  There is no hint of hesitation in Jesus' response.  It is instant and it is deliberate.  He didn't recoil from the man's condition - He touched him, and He healed him.  Oh, the fullness of the love and mercy of God!  Oh, the simplicity of the word of His grace!  If we would only believe that God wants to heal and deliver us from the things that are killing our spiritual man, then we, too, can be cleansed and made whole.  We can think of a hundred reasons why God won't touch us, but we don't hear Him when He says, "I will, be thou clean."  You see, Jesus’ answer is always yes to those who want to follow Him and pattern their lives after His example.  "For all the promises of God in Him [Jesus] are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." (2 Corinthians 1:20)  Paul tells us that God Himself is at work in the lives of His children, and He will not only put a willingness in our heart to do His will but will also give us the ability to perform His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). 

 

The impact of this story for me is its simplicity.  We tend to make things much harder than God intends.  We bring the worst of ourselves to the Master, and He transforms us a little bit more into His image, giving us His very best.  He Who knew no sin became sin for us by taking the sins of the world upon Himself and suffering the punishment for those sins.  In exchange, He has given us His own righteousness and divine nature (2 Corinthians 5:21). 

 

The question is not if God is willing.  He is always willing to help those who come honestly to Him with their needs.  The real question is whether we are willing to believe in the promises that He has given us, and whether we are willing then to receive them.  We are told that we can come boldly before God's throne of grace, and that there we will find, not just mercy, but grace to overcome any need that we might face in this life.  Jesus Himself was tempted by everything we are and yet overcame it all (Hebrews 4:14-16).  Now, in Him, we have been given the power to overcome all things to the glory of God!  

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