"Lord, if You are willing ... "

Luke 5


12 And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
13 Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him.

Of course I feel much the same as this leper. I really want to be healed by the Lord. I ask Him often, "Lord, if you are willing ...," but so far He is teaching me to praise Him even when I am hurting.

Just today I was reading the Bible and this rebuke from Jesus to Peter stood out to me. It made me evaluate my wishes. Do I have in mind the things of God or do I have in mind only what I want because I am hurting and selfish? I was thinking of how my back had been aching, but then realized how much Christ hurt for me on the cross. My aches are so small compared to what He endured for me.


Matthew 16:23b-26

"...You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"

I want to be willing to give up my own life for His sake. It's hard to pray this right now, but I want the Lord to be magnified in my life. I want to be satisfied with what He has for me. Most of all, I want to be faithful to praise Him no matter what I go through. In the good and the bad, I want to praise the name of my Lord.

This is the day the Lord had made. I will be glad and rejoice in it. I can rejoice in the Lord always, and in everything give thanks because this is the will of God for me. Am I going to trust my loving Father? Please, Lord, make me fit for your kingdom.


And can I add how much I LOVE the expression on the face of the little boy in this picture! Such raw joy!! Wow, it makes me happy just seeing his face! :-)

Truly He has made us glad! Praise the Lord!