“While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
–Luke 5:12, NLT
This man, an infectious leper, approaches Jesus. The Lord looking at him (most people would avert their gaze) asked simply, “What do you want?” There was no hesitancy as he falls at Jesus’ feet. “Please! Make me clean, if you want to.” His beautiful prayer of absolute surrender and trust sets up the staggering miracle.
There are so many plagued with personal sin-– and its like leprosy, it started out small, hardly noticeable. But time and opportunity has caused it to spread through the whole body. The man now lived among the unclean. He has been utterly infected, and totally consumed by his disease. It has taken over his body, and his life.
His prayer exposes his desperate humility. It is Jesus’ decision completely. The man does not demand, or challenge Jesus. So many try to make it an issue of Jesus proving his power and deity. The man has lost all willingness to manipulate and control the healing process. He has been stripped of his power in this matter.
Much of the time, when I come before Jesus in prayer, I come with my checklist. I build my case around things I have done to deserve my request. (I’m very stupid sometimes.) I don’t say it, but I’m trying to earn an answer by my effort. We still try to achieve spiritual blessings by works.
What I need to do, is to throw myself at the feet of Jesus. I need to plead for mercy. Scripture has revealed to us that God draws close to the humble and contrite. “If you want to, you can cleanse me.”
There are no hoops to jump through. There are no vows you can make so that it will happen. There are no deals to make. “(If you do this for me, I promise never to swear again.)” But it is grace, from start-to-finish. It raises havoc with our built-in sense of spiritual entitlement. Personally, the grace of God has been the most profound, and significant concept I have ever encountered.
It’s all about a simple, childlike trust in the Savior. He is always good and merciful. I will exercise no agenda of my own. I will pull no spiritual strings, He is not my puppet. Instead I put myself at His feet, and wait for Him to do what He wishes. Is Jesus your puppet, or is He your Prince?
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- Become a source of mercy (cinhosa.wordpress.com)
- Leper Village (ealanroberts.wordpress.com)
- They Are Human, like you and me. (inesianion.wordpress.com)
Broken Believers 
“There are no deals to make.” There is only the offer of grace. We can take it or leave it. I believe I’ll take it. Peace, Linda
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