IF THOU WILT

IF THOU WILT
One day a leper came to Jesus. We read of it in Mat 8:1 --And, behold, there came a leper and WORSHIPPED him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth [his] hand, and touched him saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
We read again in Mark 1:40 And there came a leper to him, BESEECHING him, and KNEELING DOWN TO HIM, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
Again in Luke 5:12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus FELL ON [HIS] FACE, and BESOUGHT HIM, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
This man had a need, and he KNEW Jesus could fill that need if He wanted to. His problem was getting Jesus to want to do it, so he thought. The truth was, Jesus was already wanting to do it. He was waiting for the man to come. But notice how the man came. Matthew says that he WORSHIPPED Jesus, and that he spoke words of FAITH in the integrity of Jesus--He COULD DO IT.
Mark says that he came BESEECHING, and KNELT DOWN TO HIM. Luke said that he also FELL ON HIS FACE.
None of us have leprosy, as such. But that man's leprosy could have been a type of some problem we have in ourselves that makes us unclean in the sight of God.
There are many things which we allow in our lives that are not pleasing to God. Luke 16:15 --but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is HIGHLY ESTEEMED AMONG MEN IS ABOMINATION IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.
Jesus is just as ABLE to cleanse our hearts as He was to cleanse that leper. And He is just as WILLING. The problem might be in our manner of approach.
Mark 5:23 tells of a man who BESOUGHT HIM GREATLY.
Mat 15:22 And, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, HAVE MERCY ON ME, O Lord, --- 15:25 Then came she and WORSHIPPED HIM, saying, LORD, HELP ME.
Mark 9:22 tells of the man who came with the lunatic son--: BUT IF THOU CANST DO ANY THING, HAVE COMPASSION ON US, AND HELP US.
Some cases don't respond immediately, but one widow found that DAILY REQUESTS paid off. Luke 18. This is often the case when dealing with bondages and habits of life. David prayed, Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. We could all use a little bit of that prayer.
To be clean is to put away evil. Isaiah 1:16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
There IS hope in God. "I will, be thou clean."