Quick Healing

And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately the leprosy left him. (Luke 5:13 NASB)

Jesus touched this leper with the healing touch of fire (*1) and spoke healing over him. Immediately he was healed of leprosy. It wasn't in a few weeks and it wasn't a process of years. It was right that very minute, while Jesus and the crowd were standing there watching. His leprosy just vanished, and Jesus took great delight in the miracle! (*2) Can't you just see Jesus? I imagine He must have had the biggest smile as he looked around at those astonished faces! He probably wanted to say, "You haven't seen anything yet! I can cleanse your inside just like I did this man's outside! Give me your heart and you will see!" 

The Greek word translated here as "immediately" is used only four times in the New Testament to describe the healing work of Jesus, despite the large number of healings He performed. It says to us that sometimes He works in a dramatic, flashy immediate way that everyone present can recognize, but sometimes He does not. In fact, this term is not used for most of the healings He performed. A healing that takes time is still a healing. 

In our fast-food, want-it-now society, we have grown so accustomed to immediate gratification that we expect instant Jesus-action, too. We do not serve a fast-food God, however. We serve a God of order, who completes what He starts, and does all things well. What He has begun in our loved ones will continue to completion. Do not lose heart! He is still on the throne. He still heals sin-sick souls, and He still takes delight in doing it. 

Today, pray that God will not stop working in our loved ones (or in us) until all the healing is complete and delightful to Him. 

(*1) http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-touch-of-fire.html

(*2) http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2013/12/delighting-jesus.html