Thursday, February 23, 2017
Mark 1:40-42 Now a leper came to Him, 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." As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.
"I AM WILLING!"
But is He willing to grant our requests? John writes, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us" (1 John 5:14). That is to say, if we ask anything according to His will, He gives us a favorable answer.
In the case of the leper, he prayed, "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."
We may think that the best thing would be if God says "yes" to our request. But we don't know what God knows. He has His reasons for doing what He does, and He doesn't always tell us what they are. But whether God answers "Yes" or "No," God always answers prayer in a way that glorifies Him, for we are assured that, "All things work together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).
Knowing this, we can pray as the apostle instructs us when he writes, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6f). Such an attitude of faith brings peace from God because we understand that because of our relationship to God as His children through faith in Christ Jesus, no matter what we ask, no matter how seemingly impossible the request, if it is God's will, He will grant the request.
Had the leper asked anyone but Jesus to heal him, the answer would probably have been, "I'd like to help you, but I can't." We may be moved with compassion to help someone, but we are not able to help. But Jesus, moved with compassion, says, "I am willing; be cleansed." And we read that, "As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed." Jesus then commanded him to go to the temple, as prescribed in the Law, and show himself to the priest to receive a clean bill of health, as well as to offer thanksgiving to God, as commanded in the Law. Besides the fact that this was commanded in the Law, such a response to God's help is a fruit of faith, as the LORD says in the Psalms, "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you will glorify Me" (Psalm 50:15).
