Hungry for God: The Willing God

“And a leper came to Him, imploring Him, and kneeling said to Him, ‘If You will, You can make me clean.’ Moved with pity, He stretched out His hand and touched him and said to him, ‘I will; be clean’”—Mark 1:40-41.


The leper’s cry is one of desperation. Isolated from family and friends, leprosy was, in many respects, a death sentence. Not only would the disease eat away the flesh; but it also ostracized the leper from the greater community. Leviticus 13 lays it out: 



“The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp”—Leviticus 13:45-46. 



The leper came to Jesus in desperate faith, knowing that He had the ability to heal him, to restore him to health. He said, “If You will…” Many of us wonder whether God is willing to help in our situation, heal our hurts, restore our relationships, and forgive our sins. He is! He is the willing God who sees us in our pain and problems and is willing to speak to it, if we ask Him in genuine faith! That’s exactly what the leper did, and he experienced an unbelievable miracle! Jesus was willing to heal Him, reached out His hand and made the leper clean! 

This episode of Jesus with the leper is meant to give us hope. God is still in the business of reaching out and transforming lives! He is the willing God who wills to help us in our time of need when we call on Him in truth!

Do you feel as if God is far away and indifferent to your situation? He’s not. He’s “near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18), and “a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1) who says, “call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me”(Psalm 50:15). God delights in helping His people: “When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17), and “He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him; He also hears their cry and saves them” (Psalm 145:19). 



Have you called on Him, loved one? Have you come to Him desperately, ready to do whatever He asks of you? Call on Him! Cry out to Him! Don’t hold back! He’s waiting! Amen.