That Leper; Chapter 4

 

That Leper; Chapter 4

© 2025 by Amber Wright

Date: AD 30

Place: Jerusalem

I opened my eyes and was startled to see Eutychus kneeling beside me, holding a water skein.

Seeing my eyes open, Eutychus moved the water skein to my cracked lips. “Drink,” he said, simply.

I worked my cracked mouth open and drank the water. It cooled me somewhat and soothed my dry scratchy throat; then, I closed my mouth with an effort. It took my strength just drinking, tipping my head slightly forward.

I swallowed the last of the water in my mouth and faintly whispered, “Thank you.”

My head flopped back onto the hard ground and I breathed deeply, exhausted. I was tired...so tired...so sorely tired.

“I have heard Him,” Eutychus’ voice seemed so far away to me, “this Man Who has touched the lepers and they are made well.”

Made well? My eyes snapped open and I felt a new wave of hope surge through my body...my leprous body.

“Who?” I asked in a coarse, faint voice.

“Jesus of Nazareth!” Eutychus’ voice was filled with excitement and his eyes were ablaze with light. “I have seen Him myself. He has opened blinded eyes, cripples stand and the dead live again. He is God!”

God? I sat upright, a thing in which I hadn’t done in weeks.

“God?” I stared in disbelief.

“Many Jews believe Him to be the Messiah,” Eutychus sounded excited. “And I, a Roman, look to Him as God. They say He is the Christ, the Son of David!”

My hope is not dead! I screamed to myself, sudden joy spilling into my soul—and into my heart.

“Will you take me to Him?” I looked up at him, tears making their way to my eyes. “That I might be made well.”

“I will.” Eutychus was wearing citizen clothes today, a blue robe and white sash. “He is on His way to Jerusalem. We must hurry.”

I nodded and bit my lip to keep from bursting into a happy sob.

I took his hand and slowly rose to my feet, although the pain shot through me. It did not matter now. I was going to be made well today...and I must reach Him, the Healer.

Each step I took hurt my twisted bones but it was going to be worth it. I would finally see Him, the long awaited Messiah!

I could be touched by the Master.

My cramped feet carried me onward as I held onto Eutychus’ arm for support.

We climbed the hill on a side path to avoid being seen by the public. A leper like me was a fearful sight to any citizen and they would stone me, on sight.

We had walked quite a ways towards Jerusalem when a happy ringing noise met my ears. I strained my cave accustomed eyes to see what was coming.

A glad cry arose from people on the road from Jerusalem, followed by loud shouting and singing.

“What is it?” I wanted to know, clutching Eutychus’ arm. “Who is coming?”

“It is Jesus,” Eutychus pulled me closer to the road now beginning to fill with people. “Let’s get closer to Him.”

I followed close beside Eutychus, my eyes filling with a new shower of tears. My day of deliverance had come. Jesus of Nazareth was here! And then I saw Him, the greatest of all Man.

I saw Him touch a cripple and the cripple's bent leg immediately straightened.

I stumbled through the crowd, blinded by tears, and heard the others calling to Him for mercy.

“Jesus, Master!” I called out with my weak voice. “Have mercy on me!”

I edged closer to Him, calling louder and hoarsely, “Jesus, Son of David, mercy!”

I was still quite a ways from Him, people crowding in between me and Him.

That was when a few people noticed me and shouted, “Leper, a leper!”

People hurled stones at me, hitting my legs. I cried out in pain, weak boned from my affliction, and toppled over onto the ground. Adonai, have mercy on me!

I must have fainted from the pain.

The next thing I knew, I felt a hand touch my shoulder and I looked up.

His kind eyes met mine. There He stood above me. Jesus, my Healer and Master.

“Please have mercy on me, Master.” Tears dripped down my eyes.

“Daughter, what would you have Me to do?”

“That I might be clean and well,” I sobbed brokenly.

My legs screamed with pain as I tried to sit up. But the pain soon passed as I felt Him stand close beside me and hold my hand to raise me off the dust from which I came.

I felt so little and insignificant, so unholy and unclean. But when I heard Him speak, His voice stilled my entire being.

From that moment, I knew it was all over. My littleness—my insignificance—and my uncleanness were all gone.

“Be clean, My daughter.” He held my hand as He spoke. “Arise and be made whole for your faith has healed you. Go your way in peace and be cleansed.”

Then it all started, my transformation.

My miracle.

The pain in my legs drifted away.

My ugly scales of leprosy dropped off.

My color returned.

New blood poured into my veins. I could feel it.

My scraggly, colorless hair around my shoulders suddenly changed into a beautiful mane of light brown curls, my original hair, only prettier than before.

My arms became healthy and youthful again instead of being swollen and twisted.

As I saw this transformation taking place in me, I fell down at His feet. Jesus’ feet, the Son of David.

“Master,” I kissed the hem of His robe. “Thank You, Master!”

Strength had returned.

My flesh had returned.

My life had returned.

Peace filled my body and spirit for I had been made clean and well.

I heard Jesus speaking again so I looked up. Eutychus was standing beside us, looking from me to Jesus with wonder.

I saw the Master lay a hand on Eutychus’ shoulder. “Son, great is your reward for you have led My poor sick child to Me. Peace be with you, My children.”

I rose to my feet, watching Him go...my Healer, my Messiah.

“He is the Christ,” I told Eutychus with firm belief. “He is the Messiah.”

“He is God.” Eutychus stated with his eyes fixed on the Master Who was deep in the crowd now, closer to the Holy City.

Suddenly my empty, broken heart filled with the light of His goodness. The Master’s touch of mercy had marked upon me. Jesus’ love and His compassion...it filled my soul.

“Eutychus,” I excitedly clutched his arm as the thought came into my mind. “We are clean. Clean! The Hand of the Messiah has touched us! Doesn’t it amaze you to think of this?”

“Yes,” Eutychus’ face was filled with awe. “It amazes me. And I am convinced that a man only needs one touch from Jesus the Christ to be made clean. For His touch has cleansed my heart and set me free.”

“And I am convinced,” I looked down at my clean hands, “that the same touch that set my body free is the same touch that set my spirit free. For I now know that with Christ nothing is impossible!”

I looked up at Eutychus and saw his transformation.

His wild stare was no longer there. Instead, his face was calm and bright.

He no longer stared moodily as he had done before in times past. His face seemed to glow with a new sense of purpose...and his dark searching eyes looked ready to see to the needy. It was a change indeed.

To see like a dead man come to life again. So this happened to my friend and to me.

So much has changed since that day at the market so many months ago.

For I was as dead but now I live.

I was unclean but now I am clean.

I was empty but now I am filled.

I was broken but now I am whole.

I was a leper—that spotted vile leper—but now I am healed.

I was that mourner of affliction but now I have reason to sing. Because the Master, my Master, has touched me and made me whole.

I was that one who groaned in my bed of affliction. I was that leper. But now I sing. Now I praise Him. Now I give God the glory for ever. I was the one who begged for His mercy when I was that forgotten one. That Leper.