#Jesus22 - Daily Devotionalsනියැදිය

Wow, the priest truly had an amazing role in the social system of that time. He had the task of deciding whether something was pure or impure, and he had the duty to pronounce impurity. Sometimes I wonder how the scenes in the Bible would play out with our mindset today: someone comes to the priest, and he declares him unclean. "Wait a moment, dear priest! You can't say it like that. That is condemning and excluding! Is it even possible to divide into these two categories 'pure' or 'impure'? Isn't the truth somewhere in between?" I suspect the priest would be verbally torn to shreds, and the "judgment" would not be accepted, especially considering how extensive quarantine was back then. Of course, one can have a tough sociological and political discussion about the procedure at that time, but the fact was what the priest decided was taken seriously.

During this week, we want to dare to consider the disease of leprosy as a comparison to sin and Jesus as our Priest. How do you accept the authority of the Priest? Do you allow Jesus to decide what is clean and what is unclean in your life? I always find myself wanting to argue away the priest's diagnosis: "Oh, you can't look at it that way." "Isn't Jesus outdated with His demands?" "Aren't the standards of the Bible too conservative for my behavior and lifestyle?" "Don't we have to look at everything a bit more differentiated in the 21st century?"

Whoever wanted to be pronounced pure by the priest had to be willing to be examined by him beforehand and to accept his decision without compromise.

ACTION STEP

How do you relate to Jesus? Are you ready to accept His diagnosis about you? In our modern society, hardly anyone wants to hear this, but if we cannot bear to be guilty before God, we will not feel the freedom He promises us in Jesus.

I invite you today to think about what rights you give to Jesus in your life. Talk to Him about it in prayer. Where you still have fears and doubts, ask Him for help.