The Touch of God, part 77

Warriors Arise: September 29, 2021

Matthew 8:1-4 When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

This leper will not do what others have done. He knows what he has is contagious. He is a man of honor because he will not take from Jesus that which Jesus may not want to give. He has complete faith Jesus can heal him. We can see that based on what he says, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." It wasn't a question of Jesus' ability or power. It was a question of the willingness. We may say, "Am I worthy to be healed?"

Back in those days they thought if someone was a leper or some great travesty came upon someone it was because they did some terrible sin. If they would confess their sin, they would be healed. That way of thinking is incredibly off base. It does not reflect the heart of God at all. God is the best Father we could possibly have.

Luke 11:9-13 (NKJV “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

You and I, being evil parents, know how to give good gifts to our children. We may not be "evil", though we are sinful; but we are definitely not God. He knows exactly what we need and gives us the very best. Too many times we miss out on the best God has set aside for us, because we to do not really know Him, remain connected to Him, or follow His lead.

God, our heavenly Father, gives us good gifts, the perfect gift. To think that God would give someone leprosy, break their leg or cause terminal illness does not line up with God's love, as our Father. Those things happen because we are in a fallen world. When Lydia was attacked with ALL Leukemia we had several people come up to us and say, "How could God do this to you?" I remember giving them a Scripture.

Matthew 5:45 (NKJV) that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

When His children are sent through a trial or some devastation, we are to walk through it holding on to His hand. We are to gain strength in the pursuit of all He promised and the way out. No one wants it but when it rains on you, God will be there with an umbrella to guide you to the eye of the storm and keep you in perfect peace. We need the peace that surpasses all understanding. We need the faith that knows, "My God will not fail me now."

God gives us strength to get up and He show us the way through and out. There should be a difference between the way the unjust and the just get through overwhelming situations in life. God, our Father, is good all the time, out loud.

When someone has leprosy, a broken leg or is faced with a terminal illness this is not God's punishment. God is love and He loves us more than we love our children. A loving parent would never wish for their children to get leprosy to teach them about vanity. A loving parent would never push them down the steps to break their leg to slow them down. A loving parent would never curse their child to get a terminal disease to spend more time with them. Neither would God.

James 1:17-18 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

If we are faced with leprosy, a broken leg or terminal illness we may pursue God, spend more time with Him, and grow in faith, but God didn't discipline us, causing those things to happen because of our sin. God's love is too great for us. This leper wants to know the love of God, "Are you willing?"

Father, there are times in my life I thought I was cursed. I thought You caused all the bad things in my life happen to me. I am so thankful that I took the time to get to know You. You do not want bad things to happen to me but when they do, You are always there to give me the strength to rise up, the courage to follow You, and look for the way out You have provided. I will look to You because You are amazing in all of Your ways. Your love for me is beyond measure. You are willing to heal me, lead me, restore me, redeem me, rescue me, and place my feet on higher ground. Your love is powerful to breakthrough every lie and and restore the truth. I trust You and honor You as my Father. I place myself before You and worship You. You are willing to touch me where I need You the most and I will worship You in Jesus' name amen.

A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,

Veridee Joy Hand

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