Sitting at the Leper's Table
by Horatius Bonner Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon,
a man who had leprosy, Matthew 26, 6. To this home Jesus had been invited,
and he goes. It seems to have been his leprosy
which first brought Simon to Christ, and Christ to him. His
disease was his link of connection with the Lord, and had it not
been for it, he might never have sought Christ. It is still so
with us. Our sin, our moral leprosy, draws
us to Jesus. We go to Jesus, not about the
good that is in us, but the evil. Our sense of guilt draws us to
him as the pardoner, and our consciousness of sin constrains
us to deal with him as the healer and renewer. And as we began,
so also do we go on. Sin brought us to him, and him
to us. Our sin keeps us constantly at
his side. Simon finds that he has much
more to do with Jesus than merely for the cure of his leprosy.
Therefore, he must have him at his table. So is it with us. We begin our relationship with
Jesus by going to him with our sins, but we soon discover that
it cannot be ended here. Our relationship becomes a constant
interchange of thought and sympathy. We invite him to our house, and
he comes. We ask him to dine with us. and
he comes. How great is the honour enjoyed
by Simon of entertaining the Lord of glory, sitting at his
own table with Jesus at his side as his guest. How marvellous
the condescension of Christ in thus sitting at the leper's table. Here, then, is the Saviour that
suits us, the healer of the leper, and the guest of the healed one.
We say to Jesus, Heal me, and He heals. Come in, and He comes. Sit down at my table, and He
sits down immediately. It is but little communion, indeed,
that we can taste here, for the best of earthly feasts are but
four tastes of the marriage supper. But the whole glad fullness we
shall yet enjoy, when we shall meet a long absent Lord, not
at our table, but at His own. That day shall be the day of
the Master's joy as well as of ours. He feasting with us, and
we with Him. He enjoying our fellowship, and
we His forevermore.