And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, she had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” Mark 5:24-34 (excerpts)

Recently, I was reading this very familiar passage of Scripture when it occurred to me that many people touched Jesus this day as He walked through the streets with His disciples. They were in the midst of a crowd. In fact, when Jesus asked “Who touched my garments?” His disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” The implication here is that many people were touching Jesus. That is how it is in a crowd. Yet I wonder if any of the other people that happened to bump into Him, or brush up against Him, were healed that day?

There seems to be a distinction between this woman’s intentional contact made in faith — “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” — and the numerous other people that had casual contact with Jesus. A lot of people have casual contact with Jesus. But if they do not make intentional contact by faith, they will remain unchanged.

Do you see your need today to touch the hem of His garment? Reach out and touch Jesus in faith.

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick. In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John for 30 years. She has 2 adult children, 4 grandchildren, 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 11 in all. She delights in reading and teaching, but mostly in laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.