Monday, October 5, 2020

DIAGNOSIS

Today’s Reading: Leviticus 13

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).

 

The ancient Caesarea Maritima city and harbour was built by Herod the Great about 25-13 BC. It served as an administrative centre of Judaea Province of the Roman Empire. You can read in Acts chapter 10 about the story of Cornelius, who lived in Caesarea. Cornelius, his family, and neighbours were cleansed from the leprosy of sin as the Holy Spirit came upon them.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: Leviticus 13:44

…he is a leprous man. He is unclean. The priest shall surely pronounce him unclean; his sore is on his head.

 

When Jesus healed the 10 lepers, as recorded in Luke 17, He said to them, “Go show yourselves to the priest.” The priests were the medical doctors of the day. Jesus’ miracles will always stand the test of medical scrutiny. The word “leprosy” is found 28 times in Leviticus alone. Obviously, God and Moses treated this disease most seriously. There are two purposes for the instructions concerning leprosy. First, the health of those suffering from this dreaded disease, as well as the protection of others from the disease, and second, the spiritual lesson that leprosy illustrates. Leprosy illustrated for Moses the spiritual corruption that will infect God’s people if left untreated, and if there is no separation from sin.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord, please bless those that serve us in the medical profession. You care about every detail concerning our health and the treatment of our diseases. You are our Healer, Lord Jesus. Please help me to keep clean spiritually. Give me a heart that yearns to honour You always in all I do, say, and think. I pray these blessings through the Person of the One who healed many lepers, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

From time to time Norma-Jean and I have sent offerings to the Leprosy Mission of Canada. A pill has been developed which can halt and reverse the spread of this disease, particularly if taken regularly at an early stage. Thousands have been helped. In the early 1970’s I travelled to Calcutta. There I spent time with missionary Mark Buntain, who established a wonderful Christian congregation and built a great hospital. In a Sunday morning service we were together at the altar laying hands on the sick, praying for their healing. Before me stood a lady with an obvious leprous sore on her head. To my shame, I drew my hand back, but not Mark. He laid his hand upon her forehead, and prayed. The following Wednesday she appeared at the church. The leprous sore on her head was gone. She was pregnant at the time. Norma-Jean and I took on the support of the Avatoon family (the husband and father had left them). She named the new baby, David, after me. I have never felt so unworthy. Today, the three children are professionals in various fields. Reynold, our son, met the eldest daughter in Calcutta a few years back and took a picture (below). What a joy to receive his first-hand report! Reynold and his wife Kathy were there dedicating a school building project on behalf of Crossroads Missions. Many of you supported this project that helped to get young children away for a few hours each day from the city dump and into school. Reynold called this missions project, “Treasures in the Trash.”

Yours because of God’s concern for every person,

David

Below is the picture of Rita Avatoon. I first met this person when she was a little girl living in a Calcutta slum with her leprous pregnant mother and another sister. A baby boy soon arrived. Mother named him David. Norma-Jean and I had a part in supporting this family until all three children graduated from University.

 

11 thoughts on “Monday, October 5, 2020

  1. A very difficult reading today. Years ago my husband and I went on a short term medical mission trip to The Dominican Republic. There we visited a leper colony. I believe it was in the mid 70s & it was under the direction of a Canadian husband & wife team. A real eye opener for us to see a very caring & precious people.

    • I pray you are feeling better today, Doreen. Still continuing to lift you up before Our Lord, as you mourn the loss of your dear sister.

      • Thank you Louisa. It’s a change of my daily activities that gets a bit confusing. With God’s help I will get there! Blessings on you and your life. Blessings all on the blog.

  2. Such great wisdom in today’s scripture and ever thankful for the richness of David’s story. The greatness of missionary work and God’s hand in the cure for leprosy speaks of divine healing. The full circle effect of God’s love is ever transparent in the photo of this beautiful woman, Rita. Seed spreaders of the Holy Spirit are called and move forward–amen! Holding all saints in prayer and wishing you a blessed day in the Lord.

    But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.
    John 4:14 ESV

    Pat Barrett ~ God Is So Good (You Are Worthy)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mCwxqgLkog

  3. Dear Lord God, thank You for caring for those least esteemed, and thank You for Your workers who go even to the hardest of places. Bless all these in difficult places and circumstances. Be with them and heal people today of all defilement. Thank You, Lord God, in Jesus’s name, amen

  4. Beautiful mission story of David’s and Indian lady Rita. Thank you so much Beverlee for your prayers. It is 8pm and I just got to this blog now. I could feel your prayers. God bless you. Was watching Daystar and the fundraising for Israel. May God bless Israel and all the people who love her. Was a beautiful sunny day here in the Maritimes after a few cold days. God is good and blessings on all.

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