A patient went to his doctor, complaining about pain in several places. The doctor asked him to point to where it hurts. He pointed to his leg, then his back, then side, and head. "Every time I press on these places, it hurts." After a careful examination, the doctor said, "You have a broken finger."

God knows where you are hurting in body and soul and offers His healing touch, however that might come in His graceful time. You may not, sometimes, be aware of where you hurt or even how God touches you.

In addition to suffering from a disease, some people are hurt even further by being excluded from normal life, the modern day lepers. I remember the orange quarantine signs that went up when I was quite young.

Nowadays there are aids, cancer, West Nile virus, small pox, whooping cough, to name a few.

And there is another disease, the disease of human sin; a leprosy which can destroy, separate, isolate, alienate, deform, cripple and eventually bring death to the heart and mind and spirit of the one who allows it to go unrecognized, unchecked and un-repented.

"I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble."

The leper, as you noticed, came to Jesus asking for healing: "If you wish, you can make me clean."

Not wish upon a star, not a wishing bone wish, not a birthday wish, but the hope that Jesus will do it.

"I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble."

Jesus responds with a touch and word: "I do will it. Be made clean." The touch is important.

Jesus touched him and he was immediately healed and proved that this disease was not a punishment but a disease like any other disease which prevents people from being fully alive as God wants all people to be. No one is excluded from God's touch.

"I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble."

Young Billy deliberately disobeyed his father. He didn't know what to do and so he kept it secret, festering in his heart. He was unable to even look at his father.

Conversations were hard; when his dad called him by his special name, he cried, "don't call me that!"

Why? More tears. He had to confess, bare his soul, make it clean. He went to his Dad's office and told him the whole thing. He knew he deserved to be punished so that things would be made right. His Dad got up, knelt down and hugged Billy, Billy, I love you. At that moment Billy knew he saw the face of God.

"I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble."

Like the leper, you have to decide that you want to be cured and then you have to ask.

Love will change a life ... God so loved the world that he gave His only son.

God loves you. What does God ask in return?

Right living ... yes, but it is not right living that makes you acceptable to God; only one thing does that: God's love. What God wants is that, like the leper, you pass on His love to others.

"If you wish, you can make me clean."

"I do will it. Be made clean."