A leper came to him (Jesus), imploring him, kneeling down to him and saying to him, If you are willing, you can make me clean. Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, I am willing; be cleansed. And as soon as he had spoken, the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.
Mark 1:40-42.
What strikes us here? This man made no excuses, nor did he accuse anyone of infecting him. He knew: if anyone can help me, then it is Jesus, no-one else. This is the trust that the Lord Jesus expects of us, too.
Just as the Son of God did not disappoint that man, neither will he disappoint anyone who comes to Him with his troubled conscience and guilt of sin. “Moved with compassion”, He stretched out his hand and touched him. How this reveals the Saviour’s great love!
We can well imagine how the disciples of Jesus shrank back from that leper horrified. But there was One who did not withdraw but approached him in his deplorable condition. No leprosy could be too bad, no sin too great or vile for Him. His love is incomparable. He touched the man and simply said, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Instantaneously the disease had to vanish. What a moving moment that must have been!
Whoever comes to Jesus as that leper did, can today hear the selfsame words of the Lord: “I am willing; be cleansed!” Whoever confesses his burden of sin sincerely will experience at once that He forgives sins and cleanses us thoroughly. Christ Himself has promised: “The one who comes to me I will by no means cast out.” (John 6:37).