February 16: Of leprosy and blindness, and how the former is, perhaps, preferable to the latter...

Leviticus 1:1-3:17

Mark 1:29-2:12

Psalm 35:17-28

Proverbs 9:13-18

I had to read this verse twice: in Mark 1:40, a leper comes to Jesus, begging to be healed.  In just the next verse, we read in the NIV version that Jesus "reached out his hand and touched the man."

I thought that leprosy was a defiling disease - I had to go back to Leviticus -  and required the afflicted to live apart from the community, crying out "unclean, unclean" when they approached.  They were unable to live with family, and given there was no cure for leprosy, they were condemned to a life apart, in difficult conditions, suffering from a disease the symptoms of which would likely lead to their death.  Leprosy was condemnation, from which there was no hope of rescue or redemption, no help even, for one who helped risked touching the leper, and risked spiritual impurity. 

Yet here Jesus was - approached in faith, Jesus TOUCHED the leper and, in doing so, took upon Himself the leper's unclean state.  And not only that - in touching the leper, He healed him.  By taking upon Himself the leper's defiled state, Jesus saved him from the condemnation and desolation his state demanded.  And all because the leper cried out in desperate faith.

You know, the sad thing is, the leper was far better off than I often am - at least he was constantly aware of his need for a salvation beyond his own abilities.  How often do I delude myself into believing my own self sufficiency, thereby blinding me to my need for a salvation beyond my abilities, and precluding me from crying out in desperate faith?

Jesus, there are none so blind that will not see - and I am such a one.  Forgive my willful blindness to my need for You - touch me in my sinfulness, take upon Yourself the sin I cannot bear, and grant me the gift of Your salvation.