Yes, he can. Would he?
Mark 1:40-45.
Vs. 40. And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching him and falling on his knees before him and saying; “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”
Harold Kushner, the Jewish rabbi, strikes deep emotional cords in “why bad things happen to good people.” His caring voice, profound message of tolerance is worth everyone attention. Kushner expresses human struggles with a mixture of sensitive authoritativeness. His writing has shown how acceptance and forgiveness can change relationships. As a modern literature, psychology and theologian of over thirty years, he pen it this way in “How good do we have to be.” Eating the tree of knowledge did not condemn Adam and Eve to die. Animals die. It conferred on them the knowledge they would one day die, he went further; “and it is that awareness, more than the experience of death itself that is the unique burden of humanity.”
While the knowledge of death cannot be disconnected from sickness and diseases. In the Bible text above, having the knowledge of sickness and disease wasn’t enough to keep the nameless man quiet. He was described in the text as a “leper.” He was identified by his sickness. The leper left his familiar and common place to an uncommon place by asking for Jesus.
When he saw, Jesus, he beseeched him and went on his knees, which is a sign of worship in their collective culture. Before going on his kneels, he knew Jesus could heal him. There is not doubt in his mind about God’s ability to heal people. Some people believe God can heal them. The unanswered question, is: Would he? Is he willing? Is it his will to heal or clean people?
When teaching about healing, Andrew Wommack would say; “where I would lost most people, is not in whether God can heal, but when I tell them to come pray for the sick. People would withdraw.” People don’t have much problem professing and confessing God’s ability, but knowing his will in that ability is the issue.. The issue we get everything mixed up is whether God wants to heal us.
As Doctor Johnson, puts it; “people need to be reminded, more than they are instructed.”
W e need to remind ourself daily how much God can heal, and how willing he is to heal and cure people from their sicknesses and diseases. It is his will for us to be healthy. The leper took advantage of that will and became healed. We can do the same today.
Evans Akpo 