Would You Touch-Touch Jesus?

When talking about friends, teens used to say, “Do you like him, or do you like-like him?” It meant that there’s a difference in just sort of liking someone and liking someone in a romantic (or potentially romantic) way. Now think about the story of the woman touching the fringe of Jesus’ garment in Mark 5:25–34 (also Matthew 9:20–22; Luke 8:4).

As Jesus walked, “…a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him” (Mk 5:24). A woman with a twelve-year chronic bleeding problem only grew worse, even after spending all she had on physicians.

“When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, ‘If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.’ Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.”    
(Mark 5:27-29)

It's interesting that Jesus immediately knew that “power had gone out of Him” (Mk 5:30). It shows that it’s not just God working, but His power too. When Jesus asked, “Who touched My clothes?” His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” (Mk 5:30-31). So, when Jesus asked, “Who touched My clothes?” He didn’t just mean, “Who touched My clothes,” – He meant, “Who touched-touched My clothes?” It wasn’t just a normal touch.

The disciples were confused. They didn’t think about the difference between a normal touch and a touch-touch. What is a touch-touch? I’m comparing it to a like-like. It has intention and meaning. Jesus explained it this way: “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction” (Mk 5:34). She had faith that not only Jesus did healings, but trusted it would happen. And she not only trusted, but that trust motivated her to do something – go and touch Jesus’ clothes.

This isn’t just a story about one woman’s desperate physical situation and a miracle that, not only relieved her suffering, but also established that Jesus is the Son of God with the power of God. That’s a lot, but there is more here! In Matthew 8:17, after Jesus cast out demons and healed all who were sick, Matthew says this was in fulfillment of Isaiah 53:4: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.” This is not just about physical problems. Miracles helped with physical problems but showed Jesus is the Son of God Who can help our spiritual problems.

But for Jesus to help us with our spiritual problems we have to touch-touch Him, not just touch Him. We can’t be like the crowds that only claim to follow Him, but don’t really trust or obey Him. We have to touch-touch Jesus ourselves by seeing our spiritual needs, intentionally going to Him by learning about Him and His will in the New Testament, believing, and reaching out to Him by obeying. So, what will it be? Touch or touch-touch?     dd