Luke 5:12-16
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Take a moment to settle into your surroundings and then begin to recognize your breath. As you breathe in, call on the name of Jesus and become aware of his presence with you. As you breathe out, open your mind and heart to receive whatever Jesus has for you today.
As we travel with Jesus through the towns by the Sea of Galilee, read Luke 5:12-16 as if you were there witnessing this healing.
There’s a significant difference between humility and guilt. It is not a sense of unworthiness or guilt that makes the man with leprosy fall face-down in front of Jesus; it is a sense of desperation. Having endured this horrible disease and the isolation that accompanies it, he has come to the end of himself and fully recognizes his neediness. But he also recognizes Jesus’ power and authority. In humility he turns Jesus – the only hope he has.
Take some time to think about an area of your life in which you need physical, emotional, psychological or spiritual healing. Then picture yourself as the person in this story turning to Jesus in full humility of spirit as you ask for healing. Continue to play this scene out in your imagination as you speak and listen to Jesus.
Read Luke 5:12-16 again.
Luke doesn’t tell us whether the man followed Jesus’ instructions or not, but if he did go to the priest with the appropriate sacrifice (Leviticus 14:21-22), he would be considered officially “clean” and would be welcomed back into the community. Jesus’ restoration would then extend beyond the man’s physical illness and would restore him in multiple other ways. His personal healing would also testify to the power of Jesus, and the priest and the rest of the community would be blessed along with him.
When Jesus heals and transforms us, it is not meant to be a solely personal experience. Healing is not an end unto itself, rather it is a means through which we can testify to the goodness and power of Jesus so that the blessing can spread to all those around us.
Take some time to become still. Breathe in the name of Jesus and breathe out any stress or tension you are holding in your body. When you feel centered, invite Jesus to speak to you. Then listen to him for a while.
What is Jesus saying to you today?
How do you plan to respond to him?
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