When we finally exhaust all our human efforts to fix a persistent problem, we pause life to think of what to do next.  Do we accept it and just live with it?  Do we listen to what others say we ought to do?  Do we give up altogether, thinking we have done all we can do? These are the moments in time that humble us and bring us to our knees. 

However, these are also times when God does His best work in, around and through us. Our faith may be fragile, but still remains. In our desperation, our faith might be reduced to the size of a mustard seed.  But guess what!?  God can work with that, Jesus said so!  (Matthew 17)

When God’s Son, Jesus came down from heaven and moved into the neighborhood of humanity, He cleansed and changed hearts, transformed minds, and filled empty, hungry souls with Kingdom of God ways of thinking and behaving.  Mustard seed faith in God began to take root and grow as “God with us” reached out with compassion and love.  And with just one touch Jesus had the power to heal, forgive, teach, and restore broken and battered lives.  Then in one last obedient act of love—He saved us for eternity!  Pause to thank God!

We see why these two stories of “just one touch” are interwoven.  The desperate faith of a father who has lost his daughter along with the plagued woman with nothing left to lose seek the Master’s touch in a risk of faith that defies the gossips and naysayers all around them in the passing crowd.    

Matthew 9:18-26, The Message

Just a Touch

^18-19 As he finished saying this, a local official appeared, bowed politely, and said, “My daughter has just now died. If you come and touch her, she will live.” Jesus got up and went with him, his disciples following along.

^20-22 Just then a woman who had hemorrhaged for twelve years slipped in from behind and lightly touched his robe. She was thinking to herself, “If I can just put a finger on his robe, I’ll get well.” Jesus turned—caught her at it. Then he reassured her: “Courage, daughter. You took a risk of faith, and now you’re well.” The woman was well from then on.

^23-26 By now they had arrived at the house of the town official, and pushed their way through the gossips looking for a story and the neighbors bringing in casseroles. Jesus was abrupt: “Clear out! This girl isn’t dead. She’s sleeping.” They told him he didn’t know what he was talking about. But when Jesus had gotten rid of the crowd, he went in, took the girl’s hand, and pulled her to her feet—alive. The news was soon out, and traveled throughout the region.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

I love that Jesus got rid of the casserole carrying gossipers so He could do His best work for the little girl’s family.  Jesus brought life back to this family despite the jeers of people who knew death but didn’t know Jesus. 

On the way to bring life to a little girl, Jesus brought new life to the bleeding woman who was considered unclean, a person not to be touched by the community.  Both lives broken in need of Jesus. Both at Jesus’ feet. Both with enough faith in Jesus for God to notice and show up in their lives.  Jesus, God’s Son, changes everything when He comes into our lives as we listen and believe what He says.

Risk?  Jesus took a risk to heal the woman deemed untouchable by society, but instead, Jesus affirms her risky faith!  “Courage, daughter. You took a risk of faith, and now you’re well.”  Just one touch…changes our thinking.  Jesus changes how we perceive life!  Wow.

No wonder the news of what “just one touch” from Jesus can do spread throughout the region—faster than the gossipers could tell it!

Lord,

I think my faith is strong on the good days but when troubles happen with no apparent human solution, my faith falters.  Thank you for your blessed assurance of always being with us as you provide ways through it all with courage to endure in the passage our problems that test our faith.  Thank you for the many ways you have touched my life and made we whole again…and again.

In Jesus Name, Amen

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. 

If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought.”  James 1:2-8, MSG