When You Gotta Touch Jesus

Listen along here:  https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/f60d2d7d/when-you-gotta...

Sometimes the words are hard.

Have you ever bowed your head to pray, but you could not find the right words?  I mean, you wanted to pray, wanted to connect with God— but you were unsure or maybe too exhausted, too worn down to find the words.

Think of it - most times, circumstances dictate how and for what we ought be praying--healing, comfort, peace, etc.  But then there are times when it is difficult to tell what the right thing would be--confusing to ascertain the will of God, so what then?  O, if only you could just reach out and touch Jesus!

Let me take you to Mark’s gospel, chapter 5*, for the story of a desperate woman.  I love this story because well, I am that woman. I love this story because it is so simple. What the woman did, anyone could do.  

Here's the scene: this woman has been sick for 12 years, and has used all her money on doctors unable to cure her.  The King James Version describes her as having 'an issue of blood', which means she has been menstruating for these long years.  In first-century Jewish culture, she is an outcast because she is unclean, and further, she couldn't participate in ceremonial cleansing to get clean.  Ergo, she could not go to the temple, and no one could touch her or they too would be unclean.  Our lady is desperately lonely and beaten down.

Then she hears that Jesus is coming to town, and so she does what it takes to get to him, knowing he can heal her.  As usual, the crowds are pressing around him, so she lunges out to touch Jesus, but only manages to touch the hem of his garment as he passes by.  Jesus stops, turns around and asks 'who touched me?'  His disciples say, 'Lord, look around you--lots of people touched you.'  

'No, I felt the power leave my body.'  You see, when Jesus did the miraculous, he felt the power pass out of his body--he was fully aware that healing was taking place.  'Who touched me?'

The woman answers, 'I did--I touched you, Lord.'  

She must have thought he was going to shame her then, that she should be so bold . . . but no, not Jesus.  He looks at her, probably like no one had looked at her in a long time, and says, 'Woman, your faith has made you whole.'

Huh, I remember a time in my life when I wasn't sure what to pray . . . yes, I wanted God's will, but what was it?  It was then that this story came alive for me.  You see, I could quote Scripture backward and forward, but it was not Scripture I needed just then.  Unable to see a way forward, I became that woman in the marketplace, reaching out to touch the hem of the garment of the One who could make me whole.  It was then that a one-word prayer was all I needed – a simple “Jesus.”   I pictured myself reaching out to touch the hem of his garment because I knew he could make me whole.  Yes, Jesus alone could make me whole!

Since then, I have taught this simple manner of prayer many times, bringing with me a piece of muslin fabric (closest to the fabric of Jesus' garment) for folks to cut a little piece for themselves. This fabric was tangible and represented their faith and His sure power.  When words have failed, holding and picturing the precious hem of Jesus' garment has brought comfort and assurance.

Then, one time I was asked to go to Children's Hospital to pray with a nine-year-old boy who had a cancerous kidney that had to be removed.  I remember my urgency to get a 'hem of Jesus' garment into this little guy's hands, and tell him the story!  How to do it... I fashioned a little cape made out of that same muslin, tied it around the neck of a soft stuffed animal, and then told Daniel the story.  He got it.  He told the nurses, he told all of his (unchurched) family that he had the hem of Jesus' garment, and he had faith that Jesus would heal him.  Powerful. And. He. Did.

Since then, I fashioned this little lamb (pictured below) - the hem of Jesus' garment on her back, representing any who needed a touch from God with just enough faith to reach out to Jesus . . . knowing He is enough.  Hundreds of these lambs have gone out to people--to widows, to widowers, to those who need hope, and had a little faith, even to those who needed a miracle. In the last two days, I went to a hospitalized 15-year-old young man who needed a touch from the Divine, bringing him a little lamb with 'the hem of Jesus' garment'on the back--a tangible way to touch Jesus!

Friend, when you do not know the words to pray, reach out, picture yourself touching the hem of Jesus’ garment.  He is enough.  

When you gotta touch Jesus, just his hem and one word ‘Jesus’ is all you need.

listen: One Touch,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSE7TjLqD3Q&list=RDPSE7TjLqD3Q&a...

Grace and Peace,

Christine

PastorWoman.net

*also Luke 8 and Matthew 9