Approaching God

Approaching God

The Woman Who Touched Jesus’ Robe

Read: Mark 5:24-34

Darla peeked at her friend Jan, who was praying before their lunch. Every time she prays, it sounds as if she’s talking with a close friend, Darla marveled. Darla was a Christian, but she never felt that she was in the actual presence of Jesus, as Jan seemed to. She wanted that more than anything, but how could she feel close to God when she had so many sleazy habits that she needed to clean up?

The woman in Mark 5 also had a problem with approaching Jesus. A medical condition had caused her to bleed constantly for twelve years. After spending all her money on doctors, she must have despaired of ever enjoying a normal life. Then she heard about Jesus’ miracles and healings. Finally, she felt a glimmer of hope once again. But according to Jewish law, her condition made her unclean and she would also make anyone that she touched unclean.

As she mingled with the crowd, the woman slipped behind Jesus and touched his robe. Her bleeding immediately stopped, but her thrill turned into terror when Jesus demanded to know who had touched him. The trembling woman fell at his feet and confessed. Jesus addressed her with a term of endearment, assuring her that her suffering was over because her faith had healed her.

The woman wanted to touch Jesus’ robe and slip away, but he wanted a personal relationship with her. He wanted to express his love and comfort her, face-to-face. He desires the same for us. If we have trusted in Jesus Christ as our Savior, then we are always invited to come face-to-face with our heavenly Father. We can confess our sins; confide our worries; and find mercy, comfort, and healing. No matter how unclean or sleazy we feel, we don’t need to slip behind our Savior and touch his robe—we can run right into his arms.

Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.

Ephesians 3:12