Touch him

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

TOUCH HIM AND BE HEALED

Mark 6:53-56

53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. 55 They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.   56 And wherever he went — into villages, towns or countryside — they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.

NIV

As soon as they got out of the boat, people knew it was Jesus. How did they know? Id he did have some kind of standard bearer, with a special flag, like kings and emperors did? Did his disciples declare him to all the people, “Make way for the Lord”? Most likely their arrival to the other side was not with a big fanfare, but his reputation was growing, and people all over were talking about Jesus, and describing him to others, telling about his miracles, and about his healing sick people. The whole area was beginning to develop hope in the power of Jesus. Sure it was only about getting healed, they still did not understand what he had really come for. But they were still coming to him, begging to just touch the helm of his garment. They surely must have heard about the woman who was healed by this method. Already they were organizing about how to get healed, a method was started. Had they missed anything? Yet the point here may be about the method used to get healed, but about the fact they recognized him and knew his power to heal. Have we missed anything? Have we developed methods of worship, methods of doing church, methods of being a Christian when we simply need to recognize Jesus and who he and his power to heal? Maybe we should be running throughout our community bringing the sick to Jesus. Maybe we should just be running throughout our community bringing people to Jesus, let him heal them, both physically and spiritually. It doesn’t seem that anyone objected being brought on a mat so Jesus could touch them. Why do so many people object coming to Jesus today? Maybe they simply do not believe us about Jesus. Maybe they really don’t see the power of Jesus in our lives. Maybe they see us as just like them, but only being a little hypocritical because we claim to be good people, believers, Christians but there is no evidence of the power of Jesus in our lives. Maybe it they recognized Jesus they would come running to be healed. Have we lost sight ourselves of the power of Jesus? Maybe we actually need to reach out and touch Jesus. Surely all who touch him are healed.