What Jesus Did! 'Faith Finds Its Hope' — Mark 1:40

Friday, January 26, 2024

A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. "If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean," he said.
— Mark 1:40 NLT

Key Thought

Sometimes we come to the Lord for help simply out of habit. Sometimes we come with a sense of entitlement, arrogantly approaching him as if he owes us something. Humility is not really part of our modern vocabulary. Begging is not in our nature or in our experience. We very much need to learn from this leper: We come to God out of great need, begging for healing, and fully confident that he can heal if he chooses to do so. When was the last time we threw ourselves on the mercy of the Lord? When was the last time we physically knelt in prayer in the presence of the Lord? Let's throw off the shackles of our false pride and pseudo-sophistication and recognize our place in the presence of the Almighty God and his Son and our Savior.

Today's Prayer

Almighty God, the one true Holy God, I bow before you in prayer. I thank you for your grace given to me in the gift of your Son. I recognize that I am not worthy on my own to approach you. Yet, dear Father, I know that as your child who is filled with your Spirit, I have the opportunity to approach you boldly. Have mercy on me, dear Father, for I need your presence and power in my life if I am ever going to be all that you want me to be. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Mark 10:46-52
  • Psalm 57:1
  • Psalm 86:16

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Illustration

Illustration of Mark 1:40 NLT — A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. "If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean," he said.

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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