...pray...with confidence...with peace...

“40 A leper came to Jesus begging Him, and kneeling He said to him, ‘If you choose, you can make me clean.’ 41 Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I do choose. Be made clean!’ 42 Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 After sternly warning him Jesus sent him away at once, 44 saying to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’ 45 But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to Jesus from every quarter” Mark 1:40-45.

There is an important point made in this wonderful story. Jesus demonstrates some of His priorities here. It seems that He did not want to be distracted by just a popular healing ministry, but notice that He readily heals when opportunities and needs arise. A leper comes to Jesus and begs for cleansing. The story emphasizes the actions of the leper and the emotional responses of Jesus. The leper begs on his knees. Jesus is moved with pity. But later Jesus sternly warns the man to go to the priest and tell no one else about what Jesus just did for the man.

But notice that the leper had such great faith that he knew Jesus could heal — he just wondered if Jesus was willing.

Dear friends, Jesus can do everything and anything He wishes to do. Sometimes, but not always, it is good to pray asking God for something —  if He chooses. For example, God always wishes to forgive, and He always hears our prayers, so we need never have to ask God to forgive us — if He chooses, or to hear our prayer — if He wishes. But others time, such as with physical healing, God heals — if He chooses. We cannot always expect physical healings this side of the grave, because we will all die. So often God answers our prayer in heaven, not here on earth. So when the leper appealed to Jesus, “If you choose, you can make me clean”, that was a great prayer. Because the ways of Jesus are not our ways, Jesus could have blessed the leper in other ways besides physical healing.

Remember that Moses never saw the Israelites enter the Holy Land even though Moses prayed this prayer many times. God answered this prayer of Moses in heaven. In Deuteronomy 3: 25-26 Moses pleaded with WHWH to let him cross over into the Holy Land: “25 Let me cross over to see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and the Lebanon.’ 26 But the Lord was angry with Moses and would not answer his prayer. The Lord said to Moses, ‘Enough from you! Never speak to me of this matter again’”!

For example, we never have to ask God — “if You choose” — help us forgive someone who has sinned against us. God already — and always — wants us to “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us!” Just always forgive others!

So take time today in prayer, and remember that God hears your prayer. In His own perfect time and perfect ways he will answer our prayers. Pray with peace. Pray with confidence. Pray.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.