22 May 2026
The Old Testament taught a sobering reality. Uncleanness spread. Defilement contaminated everything it touched. Haggai used that truth to expose Israel’s condition. As Mark Penrith explained, “Defilement spreads. Contaminates everything it meets. Is aggressive. Is contagious.” Sin worked like a stain no person could remove. Once unclean, people could not simply scrub themselves clean again.
Yet Jesus stepped into that world and did something astonishing. He touched people everyone else avoided. He touched lepers. He touched the dead. Mark drew our attention to Jairus’ daughter and said, “Jesus touched the dead corpse. According to the law, He should have been defiled.” Anyone hearing that story would have expected uncleanness to spread to Him. That is how the law worked. That is how defilement worked.
But Jesus changed everything. Mark said, “Instead, death was defeated.” The girl stood up. She walked. She lived. Then Mark gave this remarkable statement, “Holiness did what the law could never do. It reversed the curse.” Jesus did not become unclean. His holiness moved in the opposite direction. Instead of corruption spreading to Him, cleansing flowed from Him. Instead of death contaminating Him, life burst out from Him.
That miracle pointed to something far greater. Hebrews says, “How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we can serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14, CSB). Mark explained it beautifully, “He touched your corpse. Your sin, your death, your defilement.” At the cross Jesus took your guilt upon Himself. He carried your uncleanness. He bore your curse so you could receive His righteousness.
So stop trying to scrub yourself clean today. Stop performing. Stop pretending. Mark’s plea still rings out, “Stop scrubbing. Stop pretending.” Christ has already accomplished what you never could. Spend time thanking Him specifically today. Thank Him for the sins forgiven, the guilt removed, and the cleansing already secured.
Tonight tell your children about Jesus touching the people everyone else avoided. Remind them that Jesus came near to rescue sinners.
When you fail, do you run toward Christ or hide from Him?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for bearing my uncleanness and making me clean. Help me run to You, not hide from You. Amen.