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Touch of Faith
43
was very precious. He rejoiced in the vigor of manhood and in his
restoration to his family. Notwithstanding the caution of Jesus, he
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could no longer conceal the fact of his cure, and joyfully he went
about proclaiming the power of the One who had made him whole.
When this man came to Jesus, he was “full of leprosy,” Its
deadly poison permeated his whole body. The disciples sought
to prevent their Master from touching him; for he who touched a
leper became himself unclean. But in laying His hand upon the
leper, Jesus received no defilement. The leprosy was cleansed. Thus
it is with the leprosy of sin—deep-rooted, deadly, impossible to be
cleansed by human power. “The whole head is sick, and the whole
heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is
no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores.”
Isaiah 1:5, 6
. But Jesus, coming to dwell in humanity, receives no
pollution. His presence was healing virtue for the sinner. Whoever
will fall at His feet, saying in faith, “Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst
make me clean,” shall hear the answer, “I will; be thou clean.”
In some instances of healing, Jesus did not at once grant the
blessing sought. But in the case of leprosy no sooner was the appeal
made than it was granted. When we pray for earthly blessings, the
answer to our prayer may be delayed, or God may give us something
other than we ask; but not so when we ask for deliverance from
sin. It is His will to cleanse us from sin, to make us His children,
and to enable us to live a holy life. Christ “gave Himself for our
sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according
to the will of God and our Father.”
Galatians 1:4
. “And this is the
confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to
His will, He heareth us: and if we know that He hear us, whatsoever
we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
1 John 5:14, 15
.
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Jesus looked upon the distressed and heart-burdened, those
whose hopes were blighted, and who with earthly joys were seeking
to quiet the longing of the soul, and He invited all to find rest in
Him.