Going To Pick A Fight

I was reading this morning and came across a passage in the book of Mark. A man with leprosy came to Jesus and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: "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."

Every time I see Jesus dealing with the religious leaders of His day, I am reminded of that scene in the movie Braveheart where William Wallace rides off after the noblemen of Scotland who are going to parlay with the English officers. He is asked by his oldest friend, "Where are you going?" to which he replies, "I"m going to pick a fight."

In this story, if you just casually read it, you will miss what Jesus was getting at with the man who had leprosy. God had set up through the law what the person with leprosy was to do. There were steps that he was to take that would insure his healing. But things had gotten so out of whack over the years, that the priests were more about show than actually doing. Jesus wanted this man to go back to the priest and do what Moses commanded in the law as a way of showing them how much they had missed what God had instructed them to do.

Jesus was picking a fight with the religious leaders. He was trying to get them to see how they had missed it. Unfortunately for them, they missed the message time and time again. Instead of allowing the things that Jesus was doing to move their hearts in the direction towards God, they instead went the opposite direction because of fear of losing what they had.

How many times have I moved away from God because of that same thing, fear? Fear that I am going to somehow lose out on something I have attained, instead of letting the Holy Spirit move me into the direction of true blessing He has for me? What about you? Have you let fear motivate you in opposition to the Lord? What does that stir in your heart when you read that?

I for one want to go with what Jesus has for my life. I don't want to be like the religious leaders in the Bible, stuck in my own little story, living out what I want for my life, and missing out on the actual assignment and purpose that was set out for me from the beginning of the world. How about you? Let's lay aside our desires, those things that we are so desperate to see happen, and begin to seek God for what His purpose and desire is for our lives. I really think that in doing that, we will find true and total happiness and joy.

Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King!