Bodydiialect57:
I knew a guy here on Nairaland who, as a result of what he was going through last year, was rejected. He also rejected himself. He called himself hopeless. Sickness afflicted him and his career appeared to have nosedived.

He came here begging for help, and many called him names that practically depressed him.
He was encouraged not to give up on himself and God.


Today, he is no longer helpless or hopeless. God has risen for him. He no longer beg for alms but now a giver.

Don't lose hope no matter what you are going through. God cares for you. Just come to Him today cos He is waiting for you.

Bodydiialect57:
Leprosy is a disease that always makes whoever has it an outcast, forbidden to abide with the "normal" human others. It's a disease that is associated with rejections, from the sufferers and the outside world.

There was an account in 2 Kings 7:3-10;

[b] And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?
4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.
5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.
6 For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.
9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household.
10 So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were [/b]

Those four lepers were in a life and death situation not because of their disease but because of hunger that has made some women to make meals of their babies' flesh. This was as a result of the famine in the land, because the city of Samaria was besieged by the Syrian Army. These four lepers were courageous enough to sneak out of their colony in the dead of the night, away from rejecting eyes to get food or die. They were not scorned or rejected cos those to do that have been locked up within the city gates.

Those four lepers did well, but my attention was drawn to another leper who took bold and courageous step even in full view of rejecting eyes.
Matthew 8:1-3

[b] When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshiped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.,
3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. [b]

This leper was courageous, he was undaunted, unstoppable, desperate for a healing! He could have easily looked at the intimidating crowd thronging Jesus Christ and backed out rejecting himself (only God knows how many times he had experienced that). Or he could have wished it was night, when Jesus Christ would be alone so he could quietly sneaked to Him and begged for healing. But he did none of the above because he was desperately courageous! He dared the consequences.

"Patapata, these people following Jesus Christ would push me away, l don't care I must get my healing today !", he must have muttered to himself.


Surprisingly, as he approached Jesus Christ, the crowd must have paved way for him, not out of honour but for fear of the contagious disease on him. Wow, what a way! He need not pushed through, he walked through to the compassionate Master, worshiped Him and said, "Lord If thou will, thou can make me clean".

And the willing Master Jesus Christ, healed him.

He didn't give in to self rejection, he didn't wait to allow the rejection of others to make him remain in his dying situation. He courageously reached out to the willing Master Jesus Christ and got what he desired.

Jesus Christ is still more than willing today to attend to any situation. All that is needed is to approach Him in faith not minding the accusing heart of guilt, rejecting attitudes of friends and foes.

Happy Sunday to all.