Luke 5:12-16 — I Am Willing

READ THIS: Luke 5:12-16

12 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.” 13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 

15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY?

“I am willing.”

These three words have such an important meaning for us as believers in Jesus! In this story, we see a man with leprosy (a skin disease that rarely ever could be healed). People with leprosy were outcasts and couldn’t be near anyone if they wanted to be “clean,” but that’s never been how Jesus works! Rather than flee from the man or speak down to him, Jesus draws near to him. The man humbly fell at Jesus’s feet and basically said “God… if you want to, please heal me.” And Jesus responded with those three words: I am willing!

These words show us the heart of our God. God was willing to send His Son as a sacrifice for us, Jesus was willing to go to the cross for us, the Spirit was willing to enter into broken, sinful people and give them life. Our God is willing!!! But here’s the thing… God wants us to draw near to Him. Jesus can make miracles in an instant, but He wants us to come to Him and ask for Him to be our Savior, trusting in His plan. That may mean we see life change right away, but it also could mean we don’t. But if we trust that Jesus has a plan and trust that He is our God, we will be changed!

THINK ABOUT IT:

1. Is there anything in your life that you are scared to ask Jesus about? Are you worried He won’t be willing?

2. Even if those things you answered in #1 don’t happen, how can we be sure Jesus loves us? 

TRY THIS:

Our job is to imitate Christ and His love with others… we can’t just receive it and keep it for ourselves! Take some time today to be willing, helping someone even if it may be inconvenient to!

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 24, 2023 at 6:07 AM

    On Nov 2,2016 God gave me 2 words-LOVE ANYWAY!!! That is what He has been doing for me in my mess ups, my sin, in my stubbornness, in my wanting things to go my way—yet He loves me anyway! I think I could say that for all of us. None of us are perfect, but all of us can choose to be loving to each other, because that is the example Jesus showed us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. lNovember 26, 2023 at 5:37 AM

      Love anyway!!! That's for SURE what Jesus does for us every day :)

      Delete

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