12 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 13 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 15 But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
Once again we see Jesus "doing everything by the book", telling the healed leper to go to the priest so he would be proclaimed ceremonially clean and be allowed to go back to the temple for worship. Once again, the order is preserved, as Luke notes and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. Jesus was doing everything He could to make sure what He said was not overshadowed by what He did. Then, Luke gives us a glimpse of a theme that is a thread throughout his account: Jesus would try to get away to pray. Talking with the Father was never ignored, no matter how busy or popular He became. What a reminder to us of what is really important: talking with God, hearing what He has to tell us, then living that out to bring glory to Him. May those things mark our lives today.
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