Who Touched Me?!

Have you ever read Mark 5?

Go, read it now.  Or read The Message translation if you'd like. (especially verses 21 and on). I'll be here when you get back.

I don't know how I ended up reading Mark 5, but verses 21 and on really made me think today.

Jesus is on a mission- He is headed to heal Jairus' daughter, and on his way there He must pass through a crowd.

A woman, who had been bleeding for twelve years was in the crowd. Can you imagine bleeding badly for so long? Not only did she have that problem, but doctors had treated her badly, and she had been robbed by them!

And with such a problem, no one wanted to touch her. I'm sure she lost her friends, family, and all those close to her. She had not been touched in that long.

Twelve years, she hadn't received an "I love you," a hug, an embrace, an arm around the shoulder.

And here she was, longing for healing. Longing for touch. Longing for belonging. Longing to be normal and accepted again. And she knows Jesus can give her this.

So she reaches out and she touches His cloak. And the Bible says she is healed- immediately. Twelve years of bleeding, and she receives instant relief.

But this is where it kind of gets amusing. Jesus turns around and says, "Who touched me?!" It's funny, because Jesus for one, already knows who touched Him! And for two Peter says, "Hello! Jesus! We're in a crowd! Of course someone touched you!"

And this woman steps forward and admits what she had done.

Here's where the amazing thing happens.

Jesus could have scolded her. He could have said "How DARE you touch me! How DARE you bother me! I'm busy and on my way to do some work! Who do you think you are?!"

But instead, he calls her DAUGHTER, and says "Your faith has made you well."

Jesus the very Son of God doesn't turn this woman away- he accepts her where she is. She reaches out to touch Him and He gladly welcomes her.

He does the same when we approach Him.

We can't be too dirty.
We can't be too awful.
We can't be too sinful.
We can't be too evil.
We can't be too bothersome.
We can't be too annoying.
We can't be too unlovable.

God is not incompetent or uncaring. He invites us, "Come, and touch me!"

And it is during the times we are worried, overwhelmed, sick, tired, guilty, dirty, bothersome that God wants us to grab onto Him. When those things happen, it is NOT time to lean on our own understandings or abilities- they are times to lean on God. To reach out and touch His cloak.

Don't ever think I'm not good enough. Don't ever think God's not strong enough.

When you go to God and reach out and touch Him, He turns around and says, "Who touched me?!" but when He sees your face, He smiles. He opens His arms and says, "Come in!" Let Him give you instant relief.