One Touch

This weekend I had the delightful privilege of speaking at a women’s event called “Precious and Powerful” in Rock Island, Illinois. It was so wonderful to see women of every background coming together for fellowship and to learn how to have a deeper and more genuine relationship with God. To learn how the Lord truly sees each of us, and to allow that to change and transform our lives.

And that’s exactly what happened. There was such an atmosphere of expectancy…and I don’t believe that any of us left the same as when we arrived.

My talk centered on a rather obscure woman who suffered from a terrible ailment. The Bible tells us that she had been menstruating non-stop for twelve years! And despite the fact that she had sought help from many physicians, she not only wasn’t cured, but she had grown much worse.

The Jewish law said that during a woman’s cycle she was very restricted from physical interaction with the public. And since hers was a continual flow, her home had become a veritable prison.

Can you even fathom the intense loneliness and isolation… longing for a touch? Oh, she had been touched before, but only by hands that harmed, not healed. The doctors were happy to take her money, but left her more weak and empty than before.

She had obviously heard rumors about Jesus, and how He had healed everyone that He had touched. So when the news that He was coming to her town reached her, she knew what she had to do.

Desperation brought her to this moment. A moment where she would break all the rules…risk everything for the chance to be free from all the restrictions and pain that she had endured for far too long.

And so she stepped out into the light of day, prepared to enter the packed crowd that surrounded Jesus. She had decided that she only needed to touch the hem of His garment…and she would be completely healed. That would be worth any price.

So she pressed her way past all the people, allowing no one to stop her. And finally reaching her hand out she touched the fringe…and immediately felt something shift within her. And she knew…knew with absolute certainty that she had been healed!

There’s much more to this story, and so I will write a bit more on it tomorrow. But what about you? Does any part of her story resonate with you? Have you ever felt helpless? Hopeless? As if this is the way things have always been and nothing will ever change?

Well the amazing thing is that you don’t have to wait for Jesus to come to town. Your “cure” is not dependent upon all the circumstances falling perfectly into place. Jesus already paid the ultimate price for your freedom when He died on the cross!

The truth is that Jesus invites all of us to “touch the hem of His garment”.  He willingly steps into our darkness-our swirling emotions and circumstances that are spiraling out of control. And He says “Come”. To give Him all your brokenness; your longings…shattered dreams. There is healing and wholeness waiting for all those who come to the foot of the cross.

Song of encouragement:  http://youtu.be/WbaDlPg18HU  “One Touch” Nicole C. Mullen

Verses to ponder:   Mark 5:24-34

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