Written by Mark Driskill:
Read Mark 5:21-34
So Jesus is doing a 911 call to the house of Jairus and he is caught in a traffic jam of gawkers, followers, and fans. The crowds pressing against him are like a suffocating mass of human need and wonder. Then the Lord says something really curious. He says, “Hey who touched me?” At that point the disciples start talking about getting their beloved teacher out of the sun for awhile because he is becoming just a little disoriented amidst all the body heat. They remind Jesus, as if he needed reminding, that , “Hello, we’re in a crowd! There are lots of people touching you.” What they don’t understand is that while the crowd was pressing him, only one person was really touching him. There was a frail woman in their midst who stumbled onto the secret of touching Jesus.
While the crowds were pressing in with all their questions and attempts to impress the master, only the touch of faith caused power to be released from Jesus. You see being part of the Jesus crowd doesn’t guarantee that you are touching him. You can go to church and rub up against the master with your songs, your doctrines, and your religious posturing and still never make contact with his heart. Many will come to Jesus on that day saying, “Lord, Lord didn’t we do great things in your presence?” He will say to them, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” They will have pressed in with the crowd without ever really touching him.
Friends, keep in mind today that what really touches the heart of our Lord is the desperation of faith. That is what set this woman apart. Not only was she healed, but Jesus called her “daughter”. For this woman Jesus was not a religious curiosity, or an icon to be admired from a distance. He was her only hope and she was willing to risk everything to allow him to make her broken life whole again. Are you looking to touch Jesus today? Then come to him broken and desperate and reach out to him in real faith. Bring your greatest need to him and trust him to heal it. Come just like you are trembling and unpretentious, and lean into his mercy. Put away the religious games and be yourself in his presence. You will see that even the smallest step of faith is greater, in God’s eyes than the grandest pious gesture. He doesn’t care as much about your theological propositions and religious dogma as he does your simple honest faith working through love.
Challenge: Today try to talk less about your religious opinions about God and more about the personal ways he has touched your life. That’s what people need anyway. They can live without your opinions but not without your love.
Mark Driskill and his wife Mary are homeschooling community ministers in Breathitt County Kentucky. They have four children. They co pastor Emmanuel fellowship Church, serve as Camp Pastors at Bethel Mennonite Camp, and Mark Teaches at Oakdale Christian Academy. Mark is web minister for Begotten by the Word , a ministry of Helping Hands Christian Resources. Once a month he preaches on the local radio station through the “Lion of Judah” program.
Mark also preaches in youth rallies and revivals upon request at no charge. Their vision is to see true spiritual awakening come to the mountains of Eastern Kentucky and to the nation.
Contact information:
Email: driskill@hilbillymail.com
Facebook: Mark Driskill
Address: PO Box 1159 Jackson KY.
