Jesus Heals The Leper

Would you rather listen than read? Listen here.

Amazing People

Over the last five years, I have had various treatments for Lyme Disease. One treatment was IV antibiotics. For the first two months, I had to go to the hospital every day for an infusion. I could not drive, so I had to depend on others to bring me. I had some amazing people volunteer to drive me to and from these appointments.

For one of these treatments, my ride dropped me off at the door and I headed in alone. I got on the elevator, pushed the button and waited for the doors to close. Right before closing, a woman rushed through them. She looked at me standing in the corner with my cane and asked what kind of surgery I had just had. I told her I did not have surgery, but Lyme Disease.

Remembering What God Says About Me

She could not get far enough away from me. This woman gave me a look of disgust, stepped backwards, and just about ran out of the elevator when the doors opened. Her behavior dumbfounded me. On one hand, her actions hurt me, and on the other hand I thought, what an ignorant woman. I am not contagious.

As I sat in that quiet room getting my infusion, the enemy wreaked havoc over my mind. That woman’s actions made me feel dirty, shameful, and unwanted. I knew it was not true, and I had to realign my thoughts to what I knew God says about me, not this misinformed woman.

Loneliness

When I think back to the Lepers of the Bible, I can understand a tiny fraction of what they must have felt. They had this horrible skin disease that caused them to have to separate from everyone else. They lived alone on the outskirts of town, depended on family members to leave food and water for them at a distance, and slowly die alone of this horrific disease.

Chronic illness leaves you feeling alone. I do not say this next part to make you feel sorry for me. I have a great support system, but most suffering don’t. Please think of a friend that might be in a similar situation and you could be just what they need.

When you are too sick to go out, you become out of sight, out of mind. Everyone else in your home goes to work or to fulfill their commitments, and you are left alone. The world continues while you remain stagnant. You stop getting invitations because people assume you are too sick to go and you stop inviting others to do things because you feel like a burden. If you were to go on Facebook groups for chronically ill support groups, the one common thread you will find is loneliness.

Lepers must have felt this to an extreme. Not only was it a terminal illness, but a highly contagious one. When a priest would diagnose someone with leprosy, not only were they given a death sentence, but a life of no more human contact.

Jesus Heals The Leper

When we read the story of Jesus healing the leper in Matthew chapter eight, we read of Jesus performing the miracle of healing, but also touching the heart of this man’s deepest need. You can almost picture the scene. Jesus had just finished the sermon on the mount when the leper approached Him.

“Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside. Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. ‘Lord,’ the man said, ‘if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.’”

Matthew 8:1-2 NLT

Reading this, you wonder if this man was listening to Jesus teach from a distance. The only cure for leprosy was for God to heal you. I can feel the desperation of this man as he falls to his knees before Jesus and asks for healing. He took a tremendous risk to come close to Jesus and must have truly believed Jesus was God to approach Him.

“Jesus reached out and touched him. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be healed!’ And instantly, the leprosy disappeared. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.’”

Matthew 8:3-4 NLT

He Reached Out And Touched Him

Jesus did for this man what was needed as much as healing. He reached out and touched him. It had most likely been many years since he had received any form of human touch and now His savior had reached out and touched him.

Jesus then told the man to do what the law instructed, and that was to have a priest confirm his healing of leprosy and perform a purification ceremony. I want you to really pay attention to the following scripture. Most people skim the scriptures thinking they know what it says, but I encourage you to read this closely. What do you see in the two birds?

“Those who have been healed must be brought to the priest, who will examine them at a place outside the camp. If the priest finds that someone has been healed of a serious skin disease, he will perform a purification ceremony, using two live birds that are ceremonially clean, a stick of cedar, some scarlet yarn, and a hyssop branch. The priest will order that one bird be slaughtered over a clay pot filled with fresh water. He will take the live bird, the cedar stick, the scarlet yarn, and the hyssop branch, and dip them into the blood of the bird that was slaughtered over the fresh water. The priest will then sprinkle the blood of the dead bird seven times on the person being purified of the skin disease. When the priest has purified the person, he will release the live bird in the open field to fly away.”

Leviticus 14:2-7 NLT

Did you catch it?

One bird dies for another to live. Jesus died so that we could live. He died that we would have eternal life with Him and He died for our healing so we could live in wholeness.

The priest dipped the live bird, the stick, the yarn, and the branch in the blood of the dead bird and then sprinkled the blood over the healed person. After this, they release the bird to fly away.

Did you catch this as well? Jesus was our bird that died for us. He shed His blood through the beatings and the cross so that we could experience healing and fly free. Wow! I have no words for what Jesus has done for us.

He Has Already Shed His Blood For You

I want to encourage you today. If you are the person in my shoes seeking healing, keep thanking Him. Keep thanking Jesus for what He has done for you and that He has already done what is necessary for your healing. He has already shed the blood for your healing. Just keep saying thank you, Lord, for the healing that belongs to me. It belongs to you because He already did it for you.

“He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.”

1 Peter 2:24 NLT

“He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. 1 Peter 2:24 NLT Share on X

Helping Those Who Are Sick

If you know someone who needs healing, please keep praying, and praying in the confidence that God has already done it. Reach out to them. Check on them. Don’t say, “If there is anything I can do for you, let me know.” Pray about what God may want you to do and then say to them, “Can I come mow your yard?” Or if you like to cook, “Can I bring you a meal? Do you have any restrictions?” If you feel God wants you to pray with them, ask if you can visit and pray. If you love kids, ask to take their kids to the park.

Be specific. Someone who is sick has already had to make a lot of decisions and it becomes too much, so make your offer simple to let their answer be a yes or no. They also feel like a burden to everyone, so when you say let me know how I can help… they feel like a burden asking. When you come with a specific offer, it is much easier to say yes.

Most of all, remind them how much you love them regardless of their situation. Invite them to things you would normally invite them to, even if you know they cannot come.

Jesus met the exact need of the leper. He touched him. I encourage you to pray for God to reveal to you someone He would like you to show His love to and how He would have you do it. Be ready for anything.

If you want to read more on healing, I have put together scriptures on healing and how to pray them over yourself or another.