Earnestly Desire Forgiveness

# 250 Today’s Living Word comes from Mark 1:40-42 “Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.“

Have you wandered away from the faith of your youth? Have you been caught up in worldly living and a leprous life of sin. Learn from this leper. He came to Jesus imploring Him, in other words he was earnest in attitude.

Then he knelt before him. This kneeling is significant because it indicates that he recognizes Jesus as his Lord. He then confesses Jesus as Lord when he acknowledges that Jesus can just say the word and he can be made clean.

This leper met the criteria found in Romans 10:9,10, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe (recognize) in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes (recognizes Jesus as God) unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Jesus, was moved with compassion, that is, He ached for this man, and He said, “I am willing” then He touched him and cleansed him.

O sinner, Jesus aches to touch you! He is willing to cleanse you from your sins no matter how bad you may think they are. Earnestly come to Him, acknowledge your need, recognize Him as God, and confess Him as Lord and be cleansed!

I'm Duane Matz and that’s today’s Living Word.