"Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who touched my clothes?'"
Mark 5:30
This reading really hit me this morning for some reason. I usually am awed by the woman with the hemorrhage--her faith and courage to just go after what she knew in her heart was her only hope--Jesus. I can't imagine her fear when Jesus reels about and asks, "Who touched my clothes?" because, in touching Jesus, the woman rendered him unclean in the Jewish tradition. He could have been angry! But the woman steps forward and tells Jesus everything. I am also amazed, too, that Jesus desires relationship with each and every person he encounters. Jesus could have walked through the crowds, healing everyone of everything. There could have been many encounter-less healings along the way, but that is not Jesus' style. Jesus wanted to share a moment with each person. Jesus wanted to look into their eyes and souls. He wanted to praise their faith and cheer them on in their healing. He didn't take credit himself, but told the woman, "Daughter, your faith has saved you." (v. 34) What's really exciting to me is that Jesus wants to encounter us the same way. He wants us to reach out and seek his help for all we go through in our own lives. We need not approach Jesus with fear and trembling like the woman in the Gospel today. Jesus truly wants to walk with us through any difficulty and celebrate with us when it is over and we feel whole again. No matter what our day holds for us, this Tuesday, let's try to encounter Jesus. Love, heidi
