Matthew 8:2-4 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, "See that you don't tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

Many of us have come to know God with appauling spiritual, physical and emotional conditions.We still carry them around, sometimes for years. Some of us are too frightened to let them go or ask for them to be taken away. I believe it is in Gods heart to set us free from all that hinders us so that we can be used effectively for Him. I don't mean that we become perfect , I mean approaching God about these things on a day to day basis and allowing him to cleanse us of our many conditions. In Mathew chapter eight there is a wonderful example of the heart of God. A man with leprosy approaches Jesus. Having this condition meant he was ceremonially unclean and an outcast. Yet he approached Jesus - God Almighty in the flesh.

The leperous man must have heard about Jesus and the lives he was changing. Not only did this man have leprosy he had an even deeper condition of being rejected and despised by society. He was unloveable and untouchable. He may not have experienced the human touch of love and acceptance for years and he was not going to miss the opportunity in front of him right now. He knelt before Jesus and said, "Lord if you are willing, you can make me clean."

What a statement. He didn't ask for his healing of the dreadful disease he was carrying, he asked to be made clean. Being ceremonially unclean meant being excluded from the area around the tabernacle and courtyard and as a result he was seperated from God. (God was present in the tabernacle). His spiritual condition was more important to him than just his physical. This man knelt in humility and asked if the Lord was willing. He wasn't sure if Jesus would be willing to do anything for him. Another symptom of his rejected condition. Mathew 8:3 says, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man."I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Not only did Jesus say that he was willing to make him clean but he touched him. Jesus touched the untouchable, the unclean, rejected and spiritually seperated from God.

After years of experiencing no physical touch of acceptance the leporous man felt the touch of Almighty God full of love and power. The heart of God touching him with unconditional love and acceptance accompanied with being made clean. The bible says that immediately he was cured of his leprosy. Not only was his leprosy cured his spiritual condition was also cured. The healed man was then told by Jesus to go to the priest and to show himself. Jesus wanted complete restoration for this man for if he went to the proper authorities he would no longer be regarded as ceremonially unclean. He would have his rightful place in society again.

This wonderful passage of scripture breathes life into our view of Almighty God, He is a willing, healing and restoring God. His touch goes deeper than the physical. Jesus touched the untouchable, loved the unloveable, cleaned the unclean and cured the incurable. Often we have a warped view of what Almighty God must be like. We perceive Him to be like our earthly fathers or similar to us with all of our baggage, hurts and disappointments. Jesus came as God in the flesh not only for our salvation and redemption but also to give us a glimpse of God's heart. His example on earth is so convicting and thought provoking. Jesus was like a square peg in a round hole. He did not conform to the thinking of the day or bow to society's views, he had wisdom that was not of this world and his Father as his example.

Jesus spent time with sinners, tax collectors and prostitutes; the unacceptable people of society. He would redeem them and honor them by restoring them back into the society that so ferociously excluded them.Our view of God needs to be radically altered.We should see him as an approachable, kind and even touchable savior. If you have viewed your heavenly Father as unapproachable and untouchable, it is time to come before him as the leper did and have your spiritual condition dealt with.Jesus love touched us even before we were made clean. Our world needs you. Your individual life, testimonies and unique qualities can touch the lives of many.Jesus was willing. Are you?