Just a few thoughts on this guy suffering leprosy today. Plus I had to
work in the word "horror" for halloween. So give me 2 points to start
off!

Mostly I've thought about how horrible this guy's life was, all his
relationships destroyed, probably his face disfigured, cut off from the
rest of people, little kids would run away from him, any sense of what
the rest of us would call a normal life was gone. He felt deeply what
an awful situation he was in. And that drove him both to seek Jesus,
and to appreciate what Jesus did for him.

Sometimes we don't want to see our own sin very clearly. We want to
deny it, pass it off, make it mostly someone else's fault, whatever.
Don't be afraid of deeply feeling and admitting your sinfulness. That's
what will drive you to Jesus and what will make you excited about what
he has done for you.



Feel the Excitement
Real People (part 8)

beside themselves with excitement Mark 7:36 Msg

How Does It Feel?

40A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you
are willing, you can make me clean.”
41Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the
man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42Immediately the leprosy
left him and he was cured.
43Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44”See that you
don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and
offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a
testimony to them.”
 45Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As
a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside
in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.
Mark 1:40-45  NIV


 * Feel the Horror

They didn’t keep my laws nor live by my statutes. They ...remained
addicted to ... idols ... Since they were determined to live bad lives,
I myself gave them statutes that could not produce goodness and laws
that did not produce life. I abandoned them. ...The very horror should
have shocked them into recognizing that I am God.       Ezekiel 20:23-26 Msg

O Lord, You will not keep Your loving-pity from me. Your lovingkindness
and Your truth will always keep me safe. Too many troubles gather
around me. My sins have taken such a hold on me that I am not able to
see. There are more of them than there are hairs on my head. And the
strength of my heart has left me.                       Psalm 40:11-12 NLV

Here’s a word you can take to heart and depend on: Jesus Christ came
into the world to save sinners. I'm proof—Public Sinner Number One—of
someone who could never have made it apart from sheer mercy. And now he
shows me off—evidence of his endless patience—to those who are right on
the edge of trusting him forever.       1 Timothy 1:15 Msg


 * Feel the Love

Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him.       Mark 1:41
NLT

So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way
off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran
to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.       Luke 15:20 NLT


 * Feel the New Life

We know that we have left our old dead condition and entered into new
life. We know it because we love one another. Those who do not are
still living in their old condition.    1 John 3:14 NIrV


 * Feel the Excitement

Jesus urged them to keep it quiet, but they talked it up all the more,
beside themselves with excitement.      Mark 7:36 Msg

He also knew much about the Lord’s Way, and he spoke about it with
great excitement.       Acts 18:25 CEV



Be more thankful than ever before.
Colossians 2:7 NIrV