Thurs.’s Devo - Forgiveness and Healing

Read: Leviticus 13:1-59; Mark 6:1-29; Psalm 39:1-13; Proverbs 10:10
God gave them specific instructions about infections and leprosy. Leprosy is a disease of the flesh caused by bacterium. Leprosy in the Old Testament is what sin was in the New. Sin is a disease of the flesh. It usually starts with an offense and manifests some way in our health and our actions. If it gets “under our skin” then it has affected our heart and how we perceive things. It will turn into a bitter root and then we will be contagious because it will affect what comes out of our mouth and our whole attitude on life. The priest had to quarantine those people until they healed. The priest is God. If we refuse to forgive and carry a root of bitterness, we will be put on the shelf while we heal. When we are healed, then God will set us back on the path of ministry and wholeness.
Leprosy affected their clothing like sin affects our spiritual armor. If we are bitter or mad at God then our faith, our walk, our testimony, and our spiritual shield is down. We are open to the attacks of the devil and our testimony will be contaminated. The good news is that forgiveness and God’s love can cover a multitude of sins. We can heal from the hurts of other people, our past, and our upbringing with grace and forgiveness. We can wear white robes of righteousness and healing.
We have a picture of what unforgiveness will lead to in Mark. Herodias harbored an offense against John the Baptist because he spoke out against her adultery. Her offense led to murder. We might not murder someone we hold offenses against but we will kill them with our words. If our heart is evil, then it will come out of our mouths. James 3 says that out of our mouths come blessing and cursing and it ought not to be that way. Where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from God is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Lord, let the fruit of righteousness be sown in peace in us.