If You Could Touch Jesus
What if you could touch Jesus?
Imagine you are on a crowded avenue, maybe a bit of a marketplace. You sense an increase in the bustle around you — an energy from the crowd. Something is happening up ahead. You crest a small rise in the street and now you can see the focus of the commotion. It’s Jesus. He’s walking toward you. In fact, if you stay on this path, you could reach out and touch him.
Maybe you could grab a selfie with him. That would surely generate some traffic/clicks/likes/favs/reposts. Maybe it will go viral… “Thanks for checking out my page. While you’re here please check out my Soundcloud/products from my sponsor/our full menu of services/my conspiracy theorist enthusiasts group. This could be great for the brand.”
Maybe you’d dap him up. “Jesus! Bro! Dude! Dude-bro! So good to see you! What’s it been now, since college maybe? Remember Passion? That was crazy! We should catch up sometime — maybe grab a bee- coffee? Anyway, text me!”
Maybe you’re annoyed… “What’s the deal with this guy? Always a scene. No consideration for others. I’ve got places to be and now I have to deal with this crowd. Ugh. Besides, I don’t appreciate what Jesus said about…” Maybe you’d even give him a good passive aggressive Minnesota shoulder bump on the way through.
Maybe you’d avoid him all together… I don’t want him to see me this way. I’ll take care of a few things — start this/stop that/call so-and-so/get away for a little while. Then, maybe I’ll run into him again and be ready.
In the Gospels we read of a woman who found herself on that crowded avenue with Jesus. She had suffered for many years from a physical condition. She had spent all that she had on every remedy that promised relief and things had only worsened. She saw Jesus and thought, “He’s my only hope. If I could just touch — even the fringes of his clothes — I know I’ll be healed.”
Jesus stopped. “Who touched me?” The disciples looked around. “Who’s not touching you, Lord?” But Jesus was making a point. Someone had touched him — not out of selfish ambition, not caught up in a cultural moment, not in indifference or frustration. Someone had touched him in a powerful way. The woman came forward trembling. Had she missed it? Did she get it all wrong? She was so sure — more than that — she felt better. She was healed.
Luke 8:48,
“Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace”
Jesus stops everything to confirm at least three things:
1) He is the sovereign God over everything — including our bodies.
2) Faith in him is not in vain.
3) He knows we are here.
This reminds us of our need to confess our sins.
Father God, forgive us for the sinful ways we approach you. Forgive us for viewing association with you in terms of personal, selfish gain — seeking our glory over yours. Forgive us for being flippant with you, not offering acceptable worship with reverence and awe for you are a consuming fire. Forgive us for our frustration or even anger toward you. How offensive for the clay to scoff at the potter. Lord, we confess that at the root we want to be the potter. Forgive us for these sins and for the sins that we now confess silently to you…
…Thank you for Jesus. Fully God. Fully man. Sustainer of the world by the word of his power, who bids us to come and touch the hem of his garment and be healed. You are the God who sees us. You know our frame, our fragility, for you formed us. You do not condemn us as we deserve but send your Son to be condemned for us. And you raise him to life again that we might have life — a fullness of life and a peace that this world cannot imagine. Strengthen us, God, by your Spirit, to walk in the reality of who you are — our only hope.
In Jesus name, amen.