Jun 27
Today’s Truth
Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared Matthew 8:1b-2 (NLT).
Friend to Friend
I met an old friend from school days that I hadn’t seen for years. She invited me to join her and her husband 
for dinner. For the next hour, we sat around the table enjoying enchiladas and old memories.
At one point, she told her husband a story from our days in school. As she described the incident, it felt odd. The girl she described in the story was shy. She was hurting. She was angry. It felt like she was talking about someone else.
And she was.
God had healed my heart long ago. I was no longer that shy, angry, hurting girl. I was a confident, whole woman who knew the love of a Savior. When she finished her story, I was able to bridge the gap between the past and the present. I shared the miracles God had performed over the years.
In Matthew 8, a man in need of a miracle approaches Jesus.
He’s a leper. He is used to calling out his condition as he encounters people. He is accustomed to people racing to the other side of the road to avoid him. By calling out to Jesus, he’s taking a huge risk and breaking all the cultural rules.
“Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. ‘Lord,’ the man said, ‘if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.’ Jesus reached out and touched him. ’I am willing,’ he said. ’Be healed!’ And instantly the leprosy disappeared” Matthew 8:1b-2 (NLT).
The leper wouldn’t have expected Jesus to physically touch him; he’s considered unclean. But Jesus not only places His hands on the leper, the moment He does the man’s leprosy disappears.
His whole life changes in an instant.
I can only imagine the surprise on his family’s face when he races to see them. I can only imagine him sitting with friends, once estranged by his condition, as he invites them to see the miracle for themselves.
I felt the same as I sat with my old friends. While the leper’s healing was instantaneous, my miracle came over time, layer by layer. As I drove home, tears washed over my cheeks. I couldn’t help but thank Jesus for His touch on my life. His touch worked out knots and kinks of anger that used to rule me. His touch helped me separate my identity from those who had hurt my heart. His touch helped me discover who I was always meant to be.
Do you long for the Master’s touch? That touch is just as healing today. You may feel that your wound is too big. It may feel risky to expose those wounds so carefully hidden, or to show them to Jesus when others run from them.
Be healed.
This isn’t a command to do it on your own, but a call for you to come near.
You draw near. He welcomes you. Healing begins. And whether your miracle is instantaneous or comes one layer at a time, both are miraculous – all because of the Master’s touch.
Let’s Pray
Savior, there is no wound too big, no wound too deeply hidden, that You aren’t already aware of in my life. You see me. You hear my cry. You touch those hurting places and I am made whole because of Your mercy. Thank You for Your touch on my life,
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
In what ways do you long for the Master’s touch? Share that with your Savior today.
If you have been the recipient of a miracle, share your story with someone who needs to hear it today.
More from the Girlfriends
In Suzie’s book, The Mended Heart: God’s Healing for Your Broken Places, discover how God heals and makes whole the broken places in our hearts and lives.
Read and/or download the first chapter of The Mended Heart here. (It’s free!)
(As an Amazon Associate, Girlfriends in God earns A SMALL COMMISSION from qualifying purchases using this paid link.)
© 2022 by Suzanne Eller. All rights reserved.
God did not place this man in my life due to the circumstances on how we became husband and wife.
We both rededicated our lives back to God and through this man and his love for God and his gentleness and his willingness to be patient. He help me through my extreme shyness and God release a lot of hurts that had happened to me when I was a child and adult I believe that caused me to be so shy. God used my husband to help me over come a lot Insecurities that I had developed from a rough childhood and adult life.
I have learned that I am the one who walked away from God. God is there tugging on my heart the Holy Spirit speaking to me and when I do not listen I suffer the consequences but I know God heard my prayers and still has a plan for me he doesn’t want to lose one of us not one of us
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not Parrish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us 1John 5:14
Beautiful.
Thank you for this and thank you Jeanne for your response. There are so many times when I fail to listen to God’s Spirit nudging me, but I know He loves me still and will NEVER leave me. It’s just reassuring to know others experience the same. God bless you both.
Thankful that you shared this. <3
In short, during divorce,there were ugly false accusations against me from my ex regarding our son and custody matters. I was in a state 3000 mi away from home and my family, just my 1 and 1/2-year-old son and me… and clearly GOD. In court,all my exes lies were revealed resulting in my getting full legal and physical custody. Truly a miracle!Praise Jesus!
I am hoping and praying the Lord would heal my husband and I from whatever is keeping us from becoming pregnant. We are 30 and have been trying for over a year. It’s truly so sad month after month … Lord please bless us.
Praying with you, Allie. Praying for a child. Praying for hope.
I need the Master’s Touch over my body, just like the woman with the issue of blood. Your Word says, “You are willing,” I receive it. In the Precious Name of Jesus🙏🏼
My husband and I are struggling with infertility. My husband has three children of his own and I am a step mother. I am praying for my own child at some point. I pray God will provide a miracle and heal us with whatever is going on. Thank you for prayers in advance and I pray I continue to trust in his timing.
I’ve been struggling with debilitating anxiety this past year. (Nothing to do with COVID.) I’ve been making lifestyle changes and have received some measure of healing from Jesus, but I just don’t feel like it’s complete. I’m not sure where this anxiety is coming from. My prayer is for Jesus to give me insight into why this is still lingering and to complete the healing. Suzie, thank you for letting me know it’s possible to be healed and whole.
Praying with you.
Thank you for these three beautiful children, and thank you for their brother or sister that will bring them joy. In Jesus’ name.
Father, thank you for peace that passes understanding. Thank you for her bravery and her honesty. Thank you for being with her every step of the way. In Jesus’ name.