The Works of God

I didn’t realize leprosy was anywhere in the United States until I read this article.

Then it came up yesterday in my Bible reading:

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the people of Israel that they put out of the camp everyone who is leprous or has a discharge and everyone who is unclean through contact with the dead. . .” And the people of Israel did so, and put them outside the camp; as the Lord said to Moses, so the people of Israel did. Numbers 5:1-2, 4

Being forced outside the camp was a hard thing on everybody.

Maybe disability gives a little glimpse into what that was like.  Many of us live in a different kind of world than most of the people we know.  It is a world with a different vocabulary, full of educational and medical specialists and paperwork and expenses.

And suffering.

We live outside the camp of our culture.

It isn’t so bad.  It’s where Jesus is.

So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Hebrews 13:12-14

Yes, it is worth it to live outside the camp with Jesus!

Pastor John helpfully looked at Hebrews at Together for the Gospel in 2008.  It is a longer message at just over an hour, and requires direct attention – don’t try to have this on in the background while you do something else.  It is worth it.