"A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.”
Thought:
For the most part we are
seekers. This week I found something that I was seeking, but also so much
more. Driving 650 miles to southwestern Kansas, I arrived at a ranch where we
set off to work a cattle drive. I had hope for a good experience. I even had
faith it would be a good experience, yet what I found was a great experience.
There were things I had to do to get there, a map I had to follow and a drive
that had to be made. I even watched "City Slickers"....
Hear the Good News, as we seek an experience with Christ, we start by wanting
something different. This may mean living a life which is significantly more
fulfilling than our current life. It could even mean we have had a glimpse of
what is to come. The leper in Mark's Gospel knew something about Jesus,
something that compelled him to find Christ. He, the leper, probably had tried
any number of different approaches to be healed. He sought out healers,
treatments, and ultimately was sent to live away from the other
"well" people. Ostracized and forgotten, he lived a life that was
missing what he had hoped for and dreamt of. But then he finds out about Jesus
and he seeks him out. Everything the leper had tried, on his own, came up
short, but once he sought out Jesus and laid his life before Christ,
"Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, 'I do
choose. Be made clean!' Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made
clean." Maybe, if we make our search for change begin with Christ, and we
lay our life before Christ, we can stop using elements of change that come up
short. We are seekers, but we have to know that Christ is what yearn for and
who we should seek. faith, that your growth is complete or done.
Prayer:
Gracious Father, today I seek seek you. With all of my infirmaries and challenges, I lay them over to You. Why I make life so much more challenging, I do not understand, why I turn to other people, place and things, I do not know, but I pray that my focus will remain on You. Thank You for all that You have done in my life and all You will continue to do, for ask this through Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.