Reach out to Jesus
Luke 8:40-47
I remember a story of a father returning home from a hard day’s work. His two children would run to be the first to be picked up in his arms. Whichever one was first would shout out “I’ve got all of Daddy” and the father would pick up the second child and then say “no, I’ve got all of you”.
This happy home coming may be one that has played out in your life. It always strikes me how the father and the children share a different perspective about just who has all of who.
Some of us love to be close to the embrace of our Father. Close to the one we love. We really, really love it when we are first in line. Well, when it comes to Jesus we are all a first priority to Him.
This wonderful passage of scripture in Luke 8:40-47 continues to touch me and move me every time I read it. I think it’s because of the simple faith that is expressed by the woman and the unconditional love of our God that is so moving.
Jesus is trying to make His way to the house of a man named Jairus where Jairus 12 year old daughter lays dying. Along the way the crowd absolutely engulfs Jesus and they are pressing Him on every side. The Bible says the crowd nearly “crushed” Him.
In that crowd is a very sick woman. She has been very sick for 12 years. She has spent nearly all her money on doctors and healers in the past but to no avail. But she has hope within her that she turns into faith. She knows she does not have to be first in line. She believes that if she can just touch Jesus cloak or robe that she will have gotten close enough to Him in order to be healed. In her mind all that is necessary is to touch His robe. She doesn’t have to touch His hand just His garment.
Wow! How many people still think like this today? How many of us believe in the extended power of Jesus reach? How many of us believe that all we have to do is to get close enough?
People like this need to realize that it’s not a matter of physical distance but spiritual distance. Jesus is still in the healing business, healing hearts, lives and bodies. But the thing Jesus real wants to heal is your soul. The inner you.
Some of us don’t mind sitting in church as long as it’s not in the front row. We don’t mind being close but at the same time were self-conscious about those who are sitting behind us. We are concerned about what other people might think. We want to be close but we do not want other people to see that we have a need. A need that only Jesus can resolve.
For this reason many of us feel comfortable sitting back in the crowd just like this woman. We know that we can get lost in that crowd or blend in so to speak.
I want you to know that it does not matter where you sit in church or where you stand in the crowd. Jesus knows your need and He knows the things that are on your heart. He does not restrict His healing power only to those who request it directly like this man named Jairus. The power of God flows out of Jesus like a river. Jesus wants to engage you right where you are.
You do not have to be sneaky about approaching God. You don’t have to slip in the back pew or slip out the door before everyone else. All of us in this crowd have a need that is either physical or spiritual. All of us suffer burdens of one kind or another.
In fact some of us have spent a lot of money trying to fix our particular problems in life just like this woman. We discovered that money can only go so far and that sometimes the medicine we need is not of this earth.
Every one of us here today has a particular need that only Jesus can address.
Do you have the faith to get close enough to Jesus to want your need addressed?
Maybe you’re like this woman and want to stay hidden in the crowd?
That’s O.K. not many of us like to admit that we are vulnerable or in need. Jesus understands that. But Jesus wants you to know that no matter where you are standing or sitting in the crowd that His healing power can touch your life. His power can change your life forever and end your suffering immediately and permanently.
The word touch is mentioned more than 150 times in the Bible. Our Heavenly Father is a God of touch. With His own hands He touched the earth and created us. Hand made by God. He continued to keep in touch by walking with us and talking with us in the Garden of Eden.
Even when we broke faith with Him God continued to touch our lives with His care and protection. Our God has kept touch a very real part of His connectedness to us and through Jesus that touch continues to this day.
The Bible says in
Hebrews 4:15 KJV
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
I want you to know today that no matter where you are sitting or where you are standing in life that Jesus can and will meet your need.
You may be on the very precipice of life right at the very edge of things or you may feel you are buried in a deep dark unreachable place. You may think of Jesus as a kind of last resort. There are many people who approach faith in this way. Many have discovered that Jesus does indeed respond to people as a last resort but He would rather respond directly and immediately like He did for Jairus.
This woman discovered that you cannot hide your need from Jesus, He knew she was among the throng, He knew she had touched Him. But Jesus wanted her to know that her effort to reach out was not in vain. It was not some feeble hope or last resort but rather it was a transformative moment in her life.
Friends that is why Jesus sought her out. Not to expose her for having touched his garment but to assure her that her reaching out was something that He recognized and responded to out of love.
Luke 8:48 KJV
48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
Friends your faith can heal you today. It can heal you of whatever is plaguing your life physically or spiritually. Maybe it’s not you, maybe it’s a son or a daughter or a spouse or a dear friend. No matter the sickness Jesus is the cure.
Yes you can slip your hand forward through the crowd and sneak a touch of Jesus garment but why not meet Him face to face like Jairus and experience the restoration of life in all its facets? A new life a new beginning is within your reach.
Let Jesus touch you where you are and know that your faith can make you whole. How sweet a peace is yours when you put your faith in Him?
Amen.
