Too Desperate to Care

In Matthew 8:2 a leper came up to Jesus and fell at His feet.

The leper was too desperate to care what others thought or said or did. He had no right to be around, no standing, no worth. He was poor in spirit, mourning over his sin, hungering and thirsting. In the presence of Jesus he became bold to approach.
This leper came to Him (Mark 1:40-45) and worshipped Him (John 9:38) – worship means here to fall at someone’s feet. The leper made his way to Jesus and adored Him. Gave Him what He deserved as God.

Can you imagine the scene? People running in all directions from him, running for cover, not downwind. Lepers were outcast. Shunned. Avoided like the plague.
If someone was a leper it could mean they had one of a wide range of skin diseases which could be called leprosy. If you touched a leper you would become ceremonially unclean (Lev. 15:7), but here the leper is healed when Jesus touched him and becomes clean rather than Jesus becoming unclean.

He said to Jesus, if you are willing you can make me clean. His words express some doubt, but not the kind you’d think, he did not doubt that Jesus could heal him but that Jesus would want to heal him. He did not doubt Jesus’ power, he doubted His will – why would He want to heal me??? The leper was insecure, being rejected by everyone else, knowing Jesus could do it, but wondering whether He would want to be around someone so revolting. His insecurity revealed the depth of how worthless he felt. Jesus revealed to him how much he was worth to Him.

Do you ever feel like that leper? Unsure if Jesus wants to do for you what He has said He will do? If you believe that Jesus the only way to be saved and your only hope, then take Him at His word and come to Him, you who are weary and heavy-laden with sin. Come boldly to His throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.