Willing & Able

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

Listen to “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe (Almost There, 2001) and consider how you would react if you were suddenly face-to-face with Jesus.

“He saw Jesus, fell facedown, and begged Him: ‘Lord, if You are
willing, You can make me clean.’”—Luke 5:12b

Read Luke 5:12-16 in your Bible and think through these questions:

• In today’s passage, Jesus and the man with the skin disease both took a risk. What risk did each one take? Explain.
• Looking at verse 12, what three things did the man do?
• Consider the man’s request to Jesus. Highlight or circle the word “willing.” Why is this word important? Explain.
• In this passage, the man with the skin disease showed humility. The opposite of humility is pride. In your journal, record some characteristics of a humble person and one who is prideful.

RESPOND

We all have a reason to follow Jesus, but we must be willing to let Him cleanse us and prepare our hearts for His kingdom.
• On a sticky note, complete the following statement: Lord, if You are willing, You can…
• Stick the note on your mirror or the back of your door, where you’ll see it often. Even if Jesus doesn’t take away that circumstance, heal that sickness, or change that situation, know that it isn’t because He wasn’t able.
• For further study, read Isaiah 55:8-11. Meditate on these verses, considering the faith it takes to believe that God’s ways are better, even though we can’t always comprehend them.

BEHIND THE STORY

The man in today’s passage was likely an outcast because of His skin disease, yet He didn’t hesitate to go to Jesus and ask for healing. The man fell on his face before Jesus, showing humility and respect. The man also called Him “Lord,” signifying a person in higher authority. In respect and honor, Jewish people also used the title Lord to refer to God to avoid calling Him by His personal name, Yahweh.

THE POINT

God is able to do anything. We can trust Him, even if we don’t understand His timing.


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