There was little reason to hope. He had heard rumors of this Jesus who could heal the sick ,but what were his chances? Little to none. He was a leper, an outcast, banned from being near anyone. Certainly Jesus was always surrounded by people needing him… wanting him. How would he get close enough?

News came into the area that Jesus was close by. Some fishermen who let him use their boat to speak from had then pulled in a record number of fish. Now was his chance. He would try to see Jesus. What did he have to lose?

He found a place close enough to the road, but still out of sight, from which to make his desperate approach. As Jesus walked by, he made his move, pushing through the crowd and causing a huge commotion, to fall before this healer.

Jesus stopped and looked at him. Words tumbled out. “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”  Jesus knelt and touched him. “I am willing,” he said smiling, “Be clean.” Immediately the leprosy was gone!

This leper represents each of us. Our need is beyond meeting. Our hopelessness is clear. His willingness is our redemption and salvation. He is our healing.

“I am willing. Be clean”

What can we possibly do in response to such an action of love, forgiveness, grace, and hope?

Isaiah gives us a model to follow. As he records it in Isaiah 6, the year that King Uzziah died, Isaiah saw the Lord. He was doomed, because to see God was to die, but God had mercy and cleansed him. Then Isaiah heard God ask, “Who will go for us? Whom shall we send?”

Isaiah’s response? “Here am I, send me!” To put that in the context of the leper’s story, he basically said, “I am willing. I’ll go.”

Whatever God is asking of you today, will you join us in this simple (but often very costly) response?

I am willing.