Crowds.

They press around you and on you. They can push you and move you along a walkway.

Jesus experienced crowds everywhere He went. He had to be deliberate in searching for a place to be alone. Crowds were no stranger to Him.

One day, as He stepped out of a boat and back onto shore, Jesus is confronted with a request to hurry to the home of a synagogue leader, whose daughter was dying.

Jairus pleads, “Please come and lay your hands on her head so she can live.”
(Mark 5: 23, NLT)

We don’t learn much about Jairus but we read that he throws all dignity and pride aside, falls at the feet of Jesus and to beg for Jesus’ help.

Jairus obviously had heard enough about Jesus to believe that He could heal her.

He believed it would only take a touch.

At his request, Jesus heads to the home of Jairus.

While on his way, the crowds follow along. And it is in the midst of that crowd we find – the woman.

The one with the “issue of blood”. Her monthly cycle had stretched into a twelve year long cycle which no amount of money or medical knowledge had been able to cure.

As if her condition alone was not bad enough, it also caused her to be ostracized from society. Alone. No human touch for twelve long years.

But in the crowd that day, she pressed forward, thinking to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed” (Mark 5:28, NLT).

She, too, believed it would only take a touch.

In the midst of walking with the crowd all around Him, Jesus turns and asks them …

“Who touched my robe?” (Mark 5:30, NLT)

The disciples think He is ridiculous to even ask the question. They respond to Him, “Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, “Who touched me?”
(verse 31).

If the crowd was obvious and the question seemingly ridiculous, why did Jesus bother to ask?

The answer to that question may lie in Jesus’ answer to the woman, who admits it was her …

“Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.” (verse 34)

Jesus wanted to heal her physically but He also wanted her to be free of any supposition that it was His robe which healed her. He affirms it was her faith that caused God to bring healing.

Her faith in Jesus brought peace to her life. Her suffering was over.

Jesus calls her, “Daughter”, restoring identity and relationship to her life.

After this confrontation, Jesus continues His journey to the home of Jairus, where another touch takes place, and the girl does live.

Jesus is still touching lives today –
restoring, redeeming, adopting, affirming, forgiving, freeing and healing.
Touch Him as He reaches to touch you.

https://youtu.be/-blzHX6P-Us

This is Day 12 of 31 Questions Jesus Asked. You can find the entire series here.

Today I am joining … #Small Wonder and Sharing His Beauty and Words With Winter and Playdates With God and Inspire Me Monday .