Healer of Our Souls

And, behold, there came a leper, and worshiped him, saying, Lord if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.  Matthew 8:2

http://dailyseeking.blogspot.com/2011/01/believing-in-his-power.html

This is the second part of this verse that was first written in the above link.

The cleansing of the leper may be considered as a (2) typical mercy.  Sin is the leprosy of the soul:  it shuts us out from communion with God, to which that we may be restored, it is necessary that we be cleansed from this leprosy and this ought to be our great concern.

It is our comfort when we apply ourselves to Christ, as the great Physician, that if He will, He can make us clean; and we should, with an humble, believing boldness, go to Him and tell Him so.  We must rest ourselves upon His power; we must be confident of this, that Christ can make us clean.  No guilt is so great but that there is a sufficiency in His righteousness to atone for it; no corruption so strong, but there is a sufficiency in His grace to subdue it.

We must recommend ourselves to His pity; we cannot demand it as a debt, but we must humbly request it as a favor; "Lord, if thou will, I throw myself at thy feet, and if I perish, I will perish there.  (Matthew Henry)

Leprosy of the lost takes the form of a soul without Christ--but what does leprosy of the Christian look like?  Maybe it takes different forms as to whatever is representing sin in your life--my life.  I can relate to being shut out from communion with God and restoration always begins with a verbal confession of sin--and believing.  Believing in His Power of just being who He Is.  The laying down of yourself literally at His feet--total surrender--which comes at different times-if at all to the children of God.  I think of Moses whom God used beginning at the age of eighty and Matthew Henry who experienced the fullness of Christ at the age of five.

Depends on me-you-us; how far we really want to take the words, "Lord, if thou wilt."