January 2

1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and I woke him, saying, I will; he thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

5 ¶ And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him.

6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven:

12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

14 ¶ And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.

15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

16 ¶ When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils; and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

"How much that word infirmity must have covered then, among the multitudes who gathered close about the Master! how much it covers now with us who come to Him for healing and salvation! Our dictionaries tell us that 'infirmity' is 'weakness, failing, fault,' and no human philosophy can say what just proportion of earth's sin and misery may be fairly counted as flowing from that source. We can imagine the weak, fainting, failing ones drawing near to our Lord in a half-timid fashion, with none of the boldness of those who have positive, definite disease upon them . . . Nevertheless they needed Him, O, so sorely! as many a one needs Him now who is 'compassed with infirmity' . . . 'Himself took our infirmities.' That is the way which Isaiah's declaration concerning our Lord is reproduced in Matthew's gospel, and it is but another form of stating the precious truth which we so love to clasp to our hearts, that 'our High-Priest who is passed into the heavens is touched with the feeling of our infirmities' . . . What infinite comfort in the knowledge that we can bring all to Christ—sins, infirmities, perplexities, anxieties—just as they did of old, and never go away unheeded or unhealed!"—Dorcas Hicks.

Closet Promise.—We have not an high-priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.—Heb. iv. 15.

For Me, a thorny crown Men wove, and nails were driven in My hands And feet; there was an earthquake, and I died; I died, and am alive for evermore. I died for thee; for thee I am alive, And My humanity doth mourn for thee; For thou art Mine; and all thy little ones,—

They, too, are Mine, are Mine. Behold! the house Is dark; but there is brightness where the sons Of God are singing, and behold! the heart Is roubled, yet the nations walk in white, They have forgotten how to weep; and thou Shall also come, and I will foster thee And satisfy thy soul.—Jean Ingelow.