Focus: God Wants To!

Text: Mt.8:2,3

""Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed."

After the Sermon on the Mount, according to Matthew, the Lord Jesus Christ came down to the valley and met a crowd of people among whom is a leper. He meandered his way through the crowd and came to Christ, and he said to him, "Lord, IF you are WILLING, you CAN make me clean." He believed in the ability of Christ to change his bodily condition, but he was somewhat unsure about the willingness of Christ to do so. He is like saying, 'Lord, I believe you have the power to heal me, but do you have the passion to help me out of my situation? If you want me well, I am confident that you have whatever it takes to make it happen.' 

He was unlike another person who said to Christ, "IF you CAN do anything, have compassion on us, and help us" (Mk.9:22). One is doubtful of Jesus' willingness to deliver, while another is doubtful of His ability to do same. To the one doubting His power, Christ said to him, "IF thou CANST believe, all things are possible to him that believeth" (Mk.9:23). Jesus Christ was not powerless; the man was faithless. 

Faith draws from the inexhaustible fountain of divine power. By faith we connect to Christ and collect from the resources of Christ limitless grace.

To the other person doubtful of Christ's willingness to deliver, Christ says to him, "I am willing, be cleansed." Simply put, Jesus Christ says to him, 'I want to, I desire to, I am willing to cure you, I am inclined to helping you out, I am passionate about your deliverance, and I delighted to remedy your malady.'

There are three things to notice about the ministry of Jesus Christ:

*He preaches and teaches.

*He saves and cures.

*He helps.

I assure you today that God wants you to be saved. God wants you to be sane. God wants you to be sanitized and sanctified. God wants you to be safe and secured.

God wants you to live in sufficiency. God wants you to be satisfied. God wants you to enjoy a life of serenity. God wants you to be sound in health. God is able and willing to help you at all times.

God is interested in your life. He wants you healthy and hearty. One of Job's friends Elihu says, "If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures" (Jb.36:11). Believe in Christ's power and passion to deliver you and take care of every issue concerning you. God wants to. Be not doubtful, but believing!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter