Leprosy of Sin

Leviticus 13: The Law Concerning Leprosy
My leprosy is my sin. As I was reading through this chapter today, I was reminded how my sin can start so small and seem so harmless, but when left unviewed and untreated, it can spread and consume my entire being.
In this Levitical law, any person who had a sore was to go to the priest, Aaron or one of his sons, and have their sore examined. If that sore was deep into the skin, it was diagnosed as leprous and the priest was to declare the person unclean. Now a person has just a spot on the surface of his or her skin, they were to have the spot examined by the priest, be in isolating seven days, and be reexamined on the seventh day. If the sore healed, the priest was to announce him clean and the person was then to wash his clothes and he was clean.
What a picture this is of our sin. When we let sin fester, when we don’t take it to our High Priest, then it consumes us and takes over our health and our life. A person with leprosy was to shave his head, tear his clothes, cover his face, and cry aloud “ UNCLEAN!” What devastation and agony and grief. Can you imagine spending your life as an unclean person? Can you imagine the shame and suffering?
Then there is the person who comes to the priest when they only view a little suspicious spot on their skin. The priest views it, isolates them, and when they have become clean, they are free to go about life in the way they enjoy it. Free to hug others, to laugh, have people over for feasts, celebrate the Passover and other holidays of remembering how great of a deliverance God gave when He redeemed them out of Egypt, and now, how He healed there skin.
So too, when we come to God with the sin that is scratching the surface of our skin, when we ask for His examination and let Him work on us and heal us, we are washed and cleaned and free up to live an abundant life because of Him.
Just as I was encouraged this morning to not let my sin go un-confessed before God, I encourage you to do the same.
In Matthew 9:12 & 13 Jesus says, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.; For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.’”