Running Aimlessly.

I don't know much about my Savior. Shamefully. I've decided that I should start reading about Him - understanding who He was... who He is... and in turn who He calls me to be.

Mark 1 is where I have begun... and this really stuck out to me.

Mark 1:40-45 (English Standard Version)

⁴⁰ And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean." ⁴¹Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, "I will; be clean." ⁴²And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. ⁴³And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, ⁴⁴and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them." ⁴⁵ But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

I love this - I love that our Savior comes down to our level - This man, an outcast in society... in reality, no one probably talked to him. No one would look him in the eye. No one would sit down and eat a meal with him. Parents would hurry their children away. He wasn't attractive. He wasn't worthy. This man was lonely. He was a leper. However; he went before Jesus. He kneeled in front of him, and said probably in the most sincere way, "If you will, will you make me clean?".

Jesus was moved with pity. Can you even grasp what that looks like? It almost brings me to tears. Jesus - he saw how much of an outcast this man was. He saw his loneliness. He wasn't afraid of his leprosy. He touched him. He touched him. Probably the first touch this man has had in a very long time. Jesus said to him, "I will; be clean"... and the man was made clean.

Of course, this man was overflowing with joy. Like anyone near Jesus, after Jesus says "don't tell anyone who cleaned you" - he goes, and tells EVERYONE. Probably with, "Don't tell anyone I told you, but Jesus healed me! He is the Messiah we have been waiting for". He spread the news.

I wish my life resembled this leper more. Jesus - saw me. He was moved with pity when he saw my sin, my shame, my lonliness. He put his arm on me. He touched me - and I didn't go and tell everyone. I kept it to myself. That's the part of the story where I wish I could act more like this leper. Not in his disobedience to Jesus - but his longing to tell others about him. He was filled with joy. He had a smile across his face. He was praying with people and telling them about a man who changed him forever.

Father, allow me to be like this leper. Allow me to share the joy you have given me with others. Father, thank you for cleaning me. Thank you for removing my sin & shame.