Many times you can gain a better understanding of something Jesus did by looking at the different accounts in other gospels. I want to take a look at the instance of Jesus healing the leper.

Mark 1:40-43

40 And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."

41 Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."

42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

Remember, the leper who is suffering knew that Jesus was the only one who had authority and ability to cleanse him from his disease. The leper’s only hope was in Jesus Christ. That’s why he said, “If You are willing, You CAN make me clean.”

Notice in the first part of verse 41, Jesus is moved with compassion. This word is from SPLAGNON, and it means to actually feel sympathy in your gut. Have you ever hurt for someone so much you could feel it? That’s how Jesus felt – He was moved with compassion! He felt sympathy for the leper’s helpless, desperate condition. Jesus was a real person, walking around, feeling emotions just like we do. He has compassion for people around Him. Your love for Him will really begin to blossom when you understand this compassion, and realize that Jesus has the same compassion for you!

In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been studying the life of Jesus Christ through the Gospels. (As a result of my studying this subject, you’re going to be getting emails about it!) For me, it really helps to make Jesus a real person. I’m as guilty of this as anybody; I tend to make learning and studying the Word of God into a real academic exercise. And don’t get me wrong, it is important to know what the Bible says. But you need to understand the Bible for exactly what it is. It is God’s WORD given to us, or a letter He has written to us. When you will really grow in your Christian life is when you start to have a relationship with the AUTHOR of the letter, the PERSON who lives inside of you.

This will really manifest itself in your prayer life. When you really begin to know Him, you are not praying to Him as the genie in a bottle! You’re not going to make requests of Him, saying, “if it’s Your will, then let me win the lottery”. You will recognize that if it’s His will, it will happen, and if it’s not, it won’t! Instead, you will simply approach Him seeking guidance and direction in accomplishing His plan for your life.

I hope that this study will help us all to come to know Jesus Christ.