"I am willing"

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

“I AM WILLING”

Luke 5:12-14

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." 

NIV

The very first thing that jumps out at us are the words of Jesus saying, “I am willing”. How great are those words. As we examine the narrative here we have to also see that he tells the healed man to go to the priest, not stopping along the way to tell everyone. What Jesus was doing here is following the law given in Leviticus as to the rules and regulations concerning the ceremonial cleansing before a person with leprosy or any skin disease could reenter the camp and return to social life. The Priest would announce or proclaim the person healed, or whole, or course after a whole lot of sacrifice, shaving of hair, washing, sacrifice, more shaving, days waiting, washing and then finally proclaimed clean. Jesus wanted the priest to proclaim this leper clean as a testimony to the people, so the cleansing was true, and the man could return to social life, his family and friends. But again we really need to see, on a daily basis the words of Jesus, “I am willing”. Have we ever seen anywhere in the whole of scripture that refutes those words? Have we ever seen anywhere in scripture where Jesus says he is not willing, or there is some reason I am not willing?  As long as we cannot find anywhere that he says he is not willing for whatever reason, we have to accept the fact Jesus is always willing. So then why are we sick? Why do we have aches and pains? Why do we live with any infirmity? Do we accept them as being the will of God? Do we believe we have some illness or infirmity for the reason of learning some lesson from God? It almost seems like some Christians enjoy talking about their aches and pains. In fact it seems like we try to outdo each other with our confessions or maybe even bragging about how many aches and pains we have. “Oh that’s nothing, I have” seems to be more of the conversation then reminding ourselves, that Jesus is willing. Do we justify not being healed? How can we? What could we say? “I didn’t ask”. “I don’t really believe”. So how do we deal with having an infirmity, or aches and pains? Maybe it is just us old people, but no, the young ones have the same situations. If Jesus is willing then why don’t we ask him as the leper did? He stated that Jesus could make him clean, if he was willing. The leper had the faith that Jesus had the power to heal him, if he was willing. Jesus put to rest his concern about his being willing and then proceeded to heal him. Jesus can put our concerns to rest also, but we must first truly believe he has the power, then simply ask. No fear, no doubt, no second thoughts, just believe he has the power and he is willing.