Mark 1:40-42  A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”  ⁴¹Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” ⁴²Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.

Our son Andrew is a wonderful actor who lives in Denver.  I watched a DVD of a marvelous Christmas program Andrew was involved in a few years ago where he played the role of Nathaniel, the leper.  In that role he was the narrator of the program that told the story of Jesus and culminated with him telling his story.

He told of being a farmer, of his home life with his wife and daughter, of becoming a leper, and then losing it all and the years of being alone.  He was considered unclean – untouchable.  But then he told of hearing about Jesus and what led up to his encounter with Him described in today’s verses.

The scene is very moving say the least but last night it seemed like the Lord just highlighted even more for me the fact of Jesus’ love for this man and the fact that Jesus touched him.  Seeing Andrew, as the leper, with tears streaming down his face describing with such passion this encounter with Jesus, left me totally captured by the wonder of being touched by Jesus. He described the look in Jesus’ eyes and the incredible fact that Jesus didn’t cure him with a word, but that Jesus reached out to him and touched him – an unclean leper. It was as though Andrew really had been the leper and Andrew was describing what had actually happened to him.

Sitting there watching this, I was so thrilled that I too had been touched by Jesus.  I had my own overwhelming wonder at what He had done for me – thankful that being touched by Jesus isn’t limited only to those who lived with Him 2,000 years ago.  Jesus Christ is alive – touching people every day!  Our God is not some distant, unapproachable, unloving being.  He is the very opposite.

This morning as I write this, I am consumed with gratitude and wonder that the God of the universe not only cares for us, but that He touches us and makes us His own.  The touch of God in our lives is every bit as real as the touch that healed this leper of his leprosy.  We are forever changed.  May we be forever captured by the wonder of it all!