Day 53

Leviticus 13

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1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,2 ”When anyone has a swelling or a rash or a shiny spot on their skin that may be a defiling skin disease,t they must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sonst who is a priest.3 The priest is to examine the sore on the skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling skin disease. When the priest examines that person, he shall pronounce them ceremonially unclean.

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One of the most fascinating things I find in Leviticus is how thoroughly and overwhelming the laws and regulations were- particularly as it related to being clean and unclean.  Clean and Unclean was the difference between being within the community of God and outside of it.  Clean and Unclean was the difference between favored and rejected.  Between blessed and cursed.  Between acceptance and exclusion.
Now, when we talk about clean and unclean, we immediately spiritualize it.  But our God is perfect in every way, and absolutely nothing imperfect comes into his presence.  Even physical brokenness.  And these barriers- these insufficiencies in our physical-ness- were also mocked, spit-upon and nailed to the cross.  More than simply the acts of sin, but the physical effects of sin were taken to the cross so that we could peacefully, and fully enter God’s presence- or better put, so that He could fully enter ours.
Is there something in your physical-ness that Jesus needs to be allowed to cover? 

Maybe you have excluded somebody around you for some ailment or injury in their body, in their physicalness. 

Jesus has taken his shame away.  Jesus cross’ covers her ailment. 

Give over every imperfection in your body, and every imperfection in your peers’ bodies to Jesus cross, to be healed, and seen no more.  Step into the light of freedom that covers more than our acts of sin- but also our sin-touched existence.  Bring somebody with you.

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Day 52

Mark 5

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21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake.22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet.23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.”24 So Jesus went with him.

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In this, the earliest writings about Jesus’ ministry, we catch Jesus changing vectors midstride.  People, like Jairus, a member of the Jewish establishment, might not have come to Jesus unless they were out of other alternatives.  But Jesus isn’t offended.  He doesn’t brush them off or scold them for leaving him to the end.  He went with them.  Could there be desperate people in your life, coming to you as a last resort?  Are you desperate right now, and ashamed to come to Jesus?  Go to Jesus, even if you’ve stalled, or balked, or sought any other way.  Be Jesus for those who are looking for him.

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