Asking God, Accepting His Will, Telling Everyone

Mark 1:40-45 NLT  

  40 A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said. 41  Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!”42 Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed. 43 Then Jesus sent him on his way with a stern warning:  44 “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”

  45 But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn’t publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to him.

I like the faith of this suffering leper. First, we notice that he kneeled. Jews did not kneel before other people, only God, He recognized Jesus' status as God With us, by his posture. Next he submitted himself to God's will. He was expressing his request to be certain, but also his willingness to be have his request go unanswered because of the greater will of the Lord.
    Our requests are to be as such. "If you are willing, Lord, I ask that________." And we ought to be as equally faithful in accepting God's answer either way it goes, whether in favor of our request or for a greater purpose. It was God's will to heal him and Jesus did so immediately and without fanfare. It happened so quietly that few may have noticed. Jesus speaks to him privately and firmly to fulfill the scriptural requirements for those healed of Leprosy, though so few had ever been healed that it would be surprising to the Pharisees and Priests had he done so first.
    This man's joy spilled out as he went. He could not help testifying to what God had done for him. His joy is understandable, though it did seem to cause Jesus to have to stay out of the towns for a time. We aren't sure if that was by God's design or it was a problem. Nevertheless, I can appreciate this formerly suffering hopeless man now cleansed. When one has NO hope, and then suddenly has ALL hope, staying quiet is not really an option.
     How about you today? Have you presented your request before God in total submission to whatever His will might be? Have you received an answer from God on something? Have you shared that joy with all whom you know? What might happen if you did?
Your servant in Christ's love

Dan

drdanelliott@gmail.com