‘If I can just touch [Him], I will be healed.’ Mark 5:28 NLT
Mark records the story of a woman who’d haemorrhaged for twelve years and spent every cent she had on doctors, but to no avail. What western culture discreetly refers to as ‘a female condition’ had devastated this Jewish lady’s life. Sexually, she couldn’t touch her husband. Maternally, she couldn’t have children. Domestically, whatever she touched was considered ‘unclean’. Spiritually, she couldn’t enter the temple. So, physically exhausted, socially ostracised, and spiritually depleted, she thought, ‘If I can just touch Jesus, I’ll be made whole.’
Her miracle started when she thought about Jesus. But first she had to get through the crowd that stood between her and Him. And so will you! The crowd has its arguments and reasons, but not one of them is worth missing Jesus for. When this woman finally got to Him, two wonderful things happened: (1) She discovered that our faith gets Jesus’ attention every time. Many people in the crowd must have brushed up against Jesus that day, yet Mark records, ‘…Knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, [He] turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"’ (Mark 5:30 NKJV) Understand this: Jesus can tell the difference between a casual churchgoer and a truly hungry heart that pushes through pain, problems, and pressures, and touches Him by faith. (2) She’s the only woman Jesus ever called ‘…daughter…’ (Mark 5:34 NKJV) Imagine how she felt. She probably couldn’t remember when she’d last heard a kind word. You’re not just a face in the crowd, and your problem is not too big for Jesus.
Today reach out in faith, touch Him, and be made whole!
SoulFood: Rev 15-18, Matt 19:13-19, Ps 136:13-26, Pro 6:32-35
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright 2014
