Read chapter in full: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Matthew+8

MATTHEW 8 (ESV)

¹ When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. ² And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” ³ And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. ⁴ And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

⁵ When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, ⁶ “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” ⁷ And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” ⁸ But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” ¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. ¹¹ I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, ¹² while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” ¹³ And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.

¹⁴ And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. ¹⁵ He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. ¹⁶ That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. ¹⁷ This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”

REFLECTION

• Jesus displays a royal power over all forces in natural and supernatural worlds. King Jesus is willing and able to heal all kinds of illness and suffering.
• The Leper realizes that Jesus has the power as God to heal sicknesses and to correct evils that torment mankind. But the leper also realizes that Jesus has a choice about whether to heal or not.  Again and again Jesus exercised His power as God, and each time it was to help or heal a human being in need.  Christ is willing.  And He is able too.
• Recall a time when you were touched by the loving hand of God. What was it?  How did you feel?
• What did your past experience of God’s touch and healing teach you about God’s power and His love? Spend a few moments conversing with God and listening to what God is trying to tell you.
• “He’s Able to carry me through”  www.youtube.com/watch?v=Whgmpd2WFR0

Prayer & Journaling:

On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.