Just One Touch
Today’s Verse:
But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. ~Matthew 9:22
It is a joy and privilege to make hospital visits and pray with my members who are hospitalized. However, I feel at a loss and so inadequate for members who struggle with ailments that medicine can’t seem to give immediate healing or relief. Our devotion this morning centers on a woman who experienced a situation like this until the Lord Jesus came into her life. This morning, let us see what just one touch can do.
We see a painful frustration.
“And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years.” We find a woman with a medical condition that was incurable. She suffered from hemorrhaging for twelve years. She was languishing physically from this situation. She grew weaker, was anemic, and probably had a weakened immune system. She languished financially. She spent all she had on doctors and only grew worse. She languished socially. Her condition classified her as unclean and kept her from publicly worshipping God with others in the temple. This woman was discouraged, lonely, and frustrated. She felt hopeless. Are you at the place in life where frustration in a broken system has broken your life?
We see a personal faith.
“And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.” This woman heard Jesus was in her town. She heard enough to believe that Jesus could help her. Because she was a timid woman, she thought if she could just come from behind and touch the back of His garment, she could be cured of her disease. Faith begins with hearing. God allows faith to develop in our hearts as we hear God’s Word. Faith led her to action. She came to Jesus on her own, albeit it was from behind. She concluded that just one touch of His garment was sufficient. What great faith! While others in her town were critical and unbelieving towards Jesus, this woman had great faith to believe that one touch would change her life.
We see the powerful physician.
“But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.” Here, we see Jesus as the Great Physician. In Mark 5:29, we are told that the fountain of blood was dried up and the woman felt in her body that she had been made whole. That one touch saved her life! That one touch changed her future! That one touch gave her new hope and a transformed outlook. Jesus is our Great Physician Who can turn a hopeless situation around. Jesus is our Great Physician Who is able to take a broken life and make it whole. Is there something in your life that you need the Great Physician to do for you?
We see the pleasant fulfillment.
This woman’s faith brought her into God’s family. His first words to her were “daughter.” She was accepted into the beloved. She went from being excluded to being included. She went from abandoned to being accepted. She went from sick to being saved. Then, she was whole that same hour. Salvation is immediate. Salvation deals with the whole person and not just a piece of us. She was healed, happy, made whole, and given hope.
Just one touch by faith changed everything for this woman. Think of what one touch by faith can do in you.
Have a faith-enriched God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Numbers 16-17