"Living by Faith
When it seems like there is nothing you can do, it is so reassuring to know that Jesus is our all in all. When we come to the end of ourselves and realize that the Christian life is impossible, that's when the Lord can begin. What is a person to do when faced with a hopeless situation? Mark chapter 5 gives a simple list of suggestions: (1) Remind yourelf of God's power and majesty, along with your weakness and humanity, which causes dependence on Him (verse 26) (2) Be filled with faith (verse 27); (3) Walk in faith (verse 28); and (4) When God speaks, believe His word (verse 34).
Why does the touch of this woman release such healing virtue? All of us are faced with decisions like: "Can I trust the Lord? Can He fix this? Will He help?" Our life will reveal the results of these decisions. Our personal healing and blessing will be proportionate to that confident, faithful acknowledgement that He can be trusted., and that if I touch Him, I will be whole. Her touch was a touch of faith, a touch of purpose. She knew something... Jesus can't help but minister to those who have needs.
Three things seem obvious about this woman's touch:
1. It's a touch of faith - verse 28
a. A faith thats confident
b. A faith thats active
2. It's a touch of desperation - verse 26
a. Resolve not to move in confusion
b. Resolve not to move in the flesh
3. It's a touch without fear - verse 27
a. The Lord is in control
b. The Lord is my hope
Touching the Lord begins with trust. It's the belief there's nothing He can't master or heal. It's not a matter of saying, 'Well, we've done everything else, so let's try Jesus and see what happens.' The hymn-writer said, 'Trust and obery, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.' Living by faith has nothing to do with chance; it has everything to do with trust.
What are the earmarks of those who experience the healing touch of God? They admit they have a need (verse 25), they come to God with expectancy (verse 28), they forsake all other options (verse 26), and they're never distracted by inconvenience (verse 30). Living by faith is a choice, and when you live by faith, it's amazing what God can do.
Living in hope,
Ron Mehl"