Our Scripture reading today is Luke 5:12-14.
Verse 12, "And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean."
The unnamed man we read of this morning was suffering greatly and new the disease he had would eventually take his life. Leprosy had already separated him from family and friends. He may have been alive, but he was dead to everything he once knew. “In Palestine there were two kinds of leprosy. There was one which was rather like a very bad skin disease, and it was the less serious of the two. There was the one in which the disease, starting from a small spot, ate away the flesh until the wretched sufferer was left with only the stump of a hand or a leg. It was literally a living death.” (Barclay)
This leper takes a chance and approaches the only One Who could heal him. There is no doubt he had the faith to believe that Jesus could heal him. His posture and statement to the Lord are one of humilty as well as boldness. The leper was not just asking for healing but also for cleansing. He knew Jesus Christ could take away the leprosy and all the physical and emotional affects of the disease. We can learn much from this man. I trust we will learn how to approach our Heavenly Father and that no need is too great for Him to meet. God is able!!