Matthew 8:1-4 - He Is Willing We have to say something about lepers in Jesus’ day to fully understand this passage. Leprosy is a disease that kills pain receptors in limbs first. In a book entitled, “Pain:The Gift No One Wants” Phillip Yancey makes the point that the belief that leprosy eats away at our flesh causing fingers, toes and more to fall off is incorrect. The pain receptors are gone which led to injuries that resulted in gangrene, infection and loss of limbs. In many cases the fingers and toes would be consumed by rats and other vermin while the affected remained asleep. It truly is a horrible disease. The lepers walked around with a heavy scent of rot, evidence of infection in the discolored pus emanating from the wounds they had. The lepers in Jesus's day were commanded to announce their presence with the shout, “Unclean, unclean.” Lepers were isolated from friends and family, They were shunned everywhere and forced to beg for their food, and daily needs. Some even considered them less than human and would pelt them with rocks if they got too close. Coming into contact with a lepers would make a Jew unclean and prevent them for a period of days from attending feasts, synagogues, or sacrifices. So when this leper comes to Jesus, he does so with this statement, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” He had been isolated and shunned for years and he didn't feel like Jesus would even want to heal him. But we do the same thing today. Perhaps it is something we've done that makes us feel like asking Jesus for help seems to be imposing. We are so down on ourselves that we feel Jesus may not even want to look at us. Consider the apostle Paul, once called Saul. He was a murderer. He hunted Christians down as pagans and tried and executed them. So what was his response to others? 1 Timothy 1:15 - It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost. He didn't excuse his sin, he didn't dismiss or choose to tolerate it, he repented. So if you are hanging around the outside of God's people hesitant to find out if Jesus is willing to save you, to love you, know this, He is willing. It doesn't matter what you have done, He is always willing to forgive. It doesn't matter how you feel about yourself, He is always willing to love a sincerely repentant believer. No matter the shame, no matter the excuse, Jesus is willing, go before Him in prayer and try this, “Lord, you said you were willing to save me. And I come to you now in honesty that I am even scared to approach Your throne. Forgive my unbelief and help me to bless another person who is going through what I did. Use me to reach out to another and help them. You will be so busy helping someone else, that feelings of inadequacy and hesitation to ask Jesus for help won't have time to take hold in your life. Never forget, He is willing, even when fellow Christians are not. If you are feeling like you've done something so horrific that even Jesus would turn away, you're not alone. If you want someone to chat with or to pray for you, contact me at DavidsPorch59[gmail].com Matthew 8:1-4 [1] When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. [2] And a man with leprosy came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” [3] Jesus reached out with His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. [4] And Jesus *said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”