Mark has been talking about how Jesus was healing a lot of sick and demon possessed people. For whatever reason Mark decides to talk about how one healing went down.
A man with a skin disease came and begged Jesus to heal him. There was courage to say something, an expression of hope, and a pitch to his kindness. “If You wanted to, You could end my suffering.”
Jesus agrees to heal him, and in that moment, the outcast of society is able to rejoin the community. Jesus not only restored his health, but his status as well. At least after he showed the priest that he was not sick any more.
Jesus tells him to not say anything to anyone. This is a weird command. The man talks all the way to the priest. He has been restored to community, accepted back into society. He is not going to shut up. Because of his story the crowds get larger around Jesus.
Hope can be a powerful thing. This man, desperate and discouraged by being ostracized by this disease, is restored. Hope rewarded in the man, creates hope in others. And the crowds grow as each person tries to get a piece of the hope promised.
Prayer: Help me to admit my diseased places and come to You for healing. And when healing occurs, let me not be afraid to talk about it.
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