Rhythms of Healing and Solitude | The Wolfe Notes

These notes follow our 7-step rhythm for Bible study. Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotes are from the Good News Translation.

Rhythms of Healing and Solitude

(From Luke 5:12-16)

Medicinal Chamomile by neelam279 at Pixabay

1. Summary

Jesus was approached in a town by a man with leprosy. The man said, "Lord, I know if you are willing, I can be healed." And Jesus replied, "I am willing; be healed." And the man was! Jesus instructed the man to go to the temple and perform the requirements for cleansing, but not to tell anyone what happened. 

Regardless, news of Jesus spread quickly. People flooded to Him to hear Him teach and to be healed. But Jesus often sought solitude so He could spend time in prayer. He never let the demands of the people overtake His time alone with God.

2. N/W/L Statements

1. I NOTICED that to heal him, Jesus touched him. (Which would make Jesus unclean. - Leviticus 5:3) *He did not care about "sullying" His status if it stood in His way of helping others. Don't let what others might say or think of you stop you from doing God's work.
2. I WONDER:
1. Why leprosy was so common then.
2. How loved the healed man must have felt in this moment. People would refuse to touch him, likely backing away when he was near, but Jesus did not cower or hesitate. 🎶He touched me and made me whole.🎵 (From "He Touched Me" performed by the Gaither Vocal Band)
3. I think God wants us to LEARN that:
1. We must step in and bring healing and God's word even when the world around us restricts it.
2. We must always seek prayer time with God to rest, recover and restore.

3. Key Verse

"LORD, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," He said, "Be clean!" Luke 5:12-13 NIV

These words remind me that if I want something, I must ask for it. It also shows God's willingness to enter my brokenness and heal.

4. God's Character

1. God is always willing to restore us when we seek it. (If you are willing...I am willing.)
1. Then, after Job had prayed for his three friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had had before. Job 42:10
2. The people say, "Let's return to the LORD! he has hurt us, but he will be sure to heal us; he has wounded us, but he will bandage our wounds, won't he? Hosea 6:1
3. So then, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you will be healed. The prayer of a good person has a powerful effect. James 5:16
2. God is the good news that everyone is longing to know about. (Though asked not to tell, word of the man's healing spread like wildfire.)
1. What else do I have in heaven but you? Since I have you, what else could I want on earth? Psalm 73:25
2. And eternal life means to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, whom you sent. John 17:3
3. But how can they call to him for help if they have not believed? And how can they believe if they have not heard the message? And how can they hear if the message is not proclaimed? And how can the message be proclaimed if the messengers are not sent out? As the scripture says, "How wonderful is the coming of messengers who bring good news!" But not all have accepted the Good News. Romans 10:14-16
3. God wants us to seek alone time with Him. (Jesus often withdrew to be by Himself and pray.)
1. But when you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you. Matthew 6:6
2. I depend on God alone. I put my hope in Him. Psalm 62:5
3. After the earthquake there was a fire - but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the soft whisper of a voice. I Kings 19:12 

5. Pray

Father God, thank You for caring so much about us. You want us to know that in You and only in You are we whole. Fill me with a hunger for seeking you in my busyness, fear, and pain. But also instill in me an unflinching passion for extending mercy to others.

6. Act

• Extend mercy without hesitation regarding how it might inconvenience you.
• Withdraw often to seek solitude with God because you know wholeness is only found in communion with Him.

7. Annotation Notes

? Denotes a question, * a personal thought, x a cross reference, ! a connection, and italics a referenced source.

1. x Leviticus 13:45-46 outlines very specific behavioral expectations for someone with skin disease. They must wear torn clothes, let their hair hang loose, cover their mouth, and cry out, "Unclean, unclean!" They must also reside outside they camp in isolation. 
2. ! Touching the man would make Jesus unclean.
1. x If you unintentionally touch anything of human origin that is unclean, whatever it may be, you are guilty as soon as you realize what you have done. Leviticus 5:3
2. * Jesus was willing to be inconvenienced to free someone from skin disease.
3. ! The requirements for cleansing included sacrifice and offerings to pronounce atonement and cleansing. Leviticus 14:1-9
1. *These rituals reminded the Israelites of the sacrifice required to follow God, and for reassurance that they were one with God.
4. ! Jesus often instructed people to remain silent. (Matthew 9:30, Mark 7:36, Luke 8:56)
1. Could be because Jesus was trying to slow down the inevitability of His crucifixion so it fit with God's timing.
2. The times when Jesus didn't say to keep His healing a secret seem to coincide with Gentile crowds. Jesus wanted the message spread there because it wasn't as life threatening to Him as spreading it amongst the Jews. 

Sample these related resources:

• To think about what being a Good Samaritan actually means.
• To revisit another time Jesus sought rest.
• To Biblically explore seeking solitude and privacy.
• To reflect on Jesus as healer.
• To ask in prayer.

Interested in more faith-related blogs? Then you're looking for Faith Food. At Faith Food, you'll find links to all our faith-related blogs and a short description of each.