beseeching.

It has been so long since I've written here about my spiritual life, and honestly, so long since I've felt so alive and active in spiritual growth -- I feel like I'm shaking cobwebs off of my fingers as I type. 

I was reading in Mark 1 today, and was really struck by verse 40, wherein a leper stops Jesus to ask for healing. Specifically, it says the leper came to him, "imploring him." Other translations say the man was "worshiping" Jesus, or "beseeching," him. Then, the leper kneels before Jesus. 

So he worships Jesus. He recognizes Jesus's sovereignty, and makes physical display of doing so. And he kneels, he humbles himself, he gives due honor. The leper comes before Jesus in full knowledge of who and what Jesus is. 

Then, he doesn't just ask for healing. He tells Jesus, "If you will, you can make me clean." So he's not timidly approaching Jesus saying, "Uhh, Lord, is this something you think you can handle?" No, he boldly tells Jesus what they both already know -- You CAN make me clean -- and in so doing, signals to Jesus his belief, his faith. 

I love this. 

He worships the Lord. He humbles himself to the Lord. And he approaches the Lord with the full knowledge that Jesus is capable, entirely capable. 

Is this how I pray?