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I'm Touched!
by Patty Wysong Today, as I went to church, my heart's cry was for God to speak to me, to refresh me, to touch me--and He heard my cry. When I left I knew I had been able to touch the hem of His garment and that He had restored my weary soul. God is so good to me. Pastor Mike preached on Mark 5:21-34 and the woman with the 12 year hemorrhage. I shudder just imagining what her life must have been like, and she didn't have the modern conveniences that we do. The doctors hadn't been able to help her, her condition was growing worse, and she had spent all she had--she was out of resources. It sounded like a good description for how I felt this weekend: depleted and spent. So when the woman heard about Jesus, she not only followed Him, but she made her way through the multitude that was crowding around Jesus. Moving through a thick crowd is difficult, at best, and Mark says "For she thought, 'If I just touch His garments, I shall get well.'" The verb tense there was that she was thinking that continually, repeating it over and over to herself as she slowly worked her way to where she was close enough to touch Jesus' cloak. She was determined to reach Jesus, knowing that He was her only hope. She was totally focused on reaching and touching Jesus--and she did. Jesus knew the instant she touched His cloak and He asked who touched Him--NOT because He didn't know (He did!) but because He wanted her to publicly confess and so tell all those around her what He had done for her. Jesus wanted her to testify to what He had done in her life. The woman, knowing she was healed, fell before Jesus and told Him what had happened. All those around Jesus heard her testimony. I can just imagine the news of her healing sweeping through the crowd, being passed from person to person until even those at the very fringes of the crowd had heard, like we still hear today. Jesus was glorified through her life and her witness. Pastor Mike, knowing many of us were still exhausted from VBS, reminded us that when we do the Lord's work power flows out of us, leaving us drained and in need of refilling--in need of touching our Lord. He also reminded us that we can reach out and touch Jesus if we're determined enough to, if we don't let the crowd hinder us and keep us from Him. My heart soared because I knew this was God answering my prayer and speaking His words to me. I felt the worn out parts of me being mended and restored and I was able to sing with the rest of the church body "He touched me, Oh, He touched me and oh the joy that floods my soul. Something happened and now I know, He touched me and made me whole!" Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need. ~Hebrews 4:16 Patty Wysong is a Christian wife and homeschool mom of 5 who is passionate about wrapping lessons in pretty packages that will point others to God. Blog: http://pattywysong.blogspot.com/ Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |