40 A man with a skin disease came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I am willing. Be made clean!” 42 Immediately the skin disease left him, and he was made clean. 43 After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, 44 saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded as a testimony to them.” 45 But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly but stayed out in the country, and people came to him from every quarter.
Prayer Focus: Earlier in this first chapter of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus orders the demons not to speak about him. Here he tells one healed from a skin disease to say nothing to anyone. But this good news cannot be kept quiet. The consequence is that Jesus cannot go into towns openly. He becomes responsive to the crowds that seek him out from every quarter. Even if you have a long list of petitions to bring to the Lord, pray for patience to wait for Jesus to act.
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