Christian Foundations

The Wonder of Being Touched by Jesus

Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”

—Mark 1:41, emphasis added

The wonder of being touched by Jesus is clearly seen in Mark where some, like the grateful leper in 1:41, were touched by God in a mighty way. Ponder this familiar setting in Mark: When Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea (5:21). Now use your senses to relive the scene:

• Feel the rough-hewn, handmade boat, as it lay weathered on the shore.
• See the sun glinting off the blue-green waters of the Sea of Galilee.
• Smell the thick smells of fish, weeds, and wetness blended with the odors of a time when people seldom bathed.
• Hear the presence of numberless multitudes that swarmed around Christ like flies.
• Taste the excitement as they pressed upon Him so much that He couldn’t get through them; so He stayed on the shore.

Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue at Capernaum, crashed through the crowd that had been pressing upon Jesus. As he caught sight of Christ, he … fell at His feet (Mark 5:22)! Oh, to have that great a desire to meet with Jesus! Have you ever felt like crashing through the crowd at your church to dive at the feet of Christ—to delight in looking for Him in His Word? That is why these people experienced Him so deeply.

With complete faith, the ruler earnestly begged Jesus to come and heal his daughter: “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live” (Mark 5:23b). So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him (Mark 5:24).

During this time, everyone was still trying to touch Jesus, even if it was just the bottom of His robe. At this point an unknown, withered woman who had been aged by a horrible uncleanness came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she knew that Jesus alone was her hope: “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well” (Mark 5:27-28).

Her flow of blood for twelve years made her unclean in the eyes of Levitical law. She had suffered many things from many physicians and had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse (Mark 5:25-26). This woman was ashamed of her uncleanness. The bleeding woman knew, as do Christians today, that Jesus alone can meet our deepest needs.

The dying woman was motivated by faith; she touched Christ, and instantly was healed of her affliction. Do you remember the sensitivity of the five senses? She intuitively knew that her affliction was gone. Then Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” (see Mark 5:30, emphasis added).

What would that moment have been like? Picture being at the Rose Bowl in California for the Olympic Games, with all 100,000 people leaving at once after the games. You would be in an ocean of bodies! Can you imagine one person in that crowd saying, “Who just touched me?” It would have been a joke!

Jesus Christ is the only One who could feel the trembling, withered hand of a dying woman’s touch upon the tassel of His coat. He alone can truly feel your heart’s cry right now, and He has the power to make you whole! If you or a loved one fear death, or are desperate, helpless, sick, or feel unable to go any further, come to Jesus for help!

You have seen two people who had needs: Jairus, who came to Jesus for the healing of his daughter, and the aged woman, who came to Jesus to be healed of her “flow of blood.” They came in two ways, but both had to confess Jesus publicly. Perhaps you need to be honest before others as well. Have you ever confessed to the church that God has touched you and made you whole? If not, you should do so through baptism, which is public confession—it will change your spiritual life!