A Touching Moment

"when they had crossed over... 

all who touched Him were healed"

Matthew 14:34...36

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I love noticing "timing" and "connections" in the Bible.  Like when I realize that this event came right after that event and hmm.... isn't that an interesting "coincidence".  There are hundreds.... or at least dozens? of those connections those, especially in the gospels.  Sometimes the "chapter and verse" numbers can do us a disservice, by causing us to stop reading at a certain place, or to think that just because two paragraphs are separated by space, they were separated by time, too.

On the other hand, those little numbers are a big help, otherwise I'd be forced to tell you that today's verse is on page 1045.  Of the particular version of the Bible I happen to be looking at today.  Good luck finding that in yours...

So the event timing that I noticed today in Matthew was concerning Peter walking on the water.  That's such a great passage about courage, and faith.  At Jesus' command, Peter walked to Him across the water, but then he came to a realization of the wind and the waves, and he began to sink.  He cried out to Jesus to save him.  Jesus did so by reaching out His hand to Peter.  Now, remember that part for a few minutes.

After they climbed back into the boat, they crossed over the water, and landed at Gennesaret.  And pretty soon, people were coming to Him, bringing their sick.  And what did Jesus do to heal them?  He touched them.  He reached out His hand to them.  As a matter of fact, all they had to do was touch the edge of His cloak, and they were healed.

When Peter had panicked, and cried out to Jesus, all Jesus had to do was say, "Oh, you're fine.  Just stand up straight."  But He didn't.  He reached out to touch Peter, and in so doing, He did more than just keep Peter from sinking ~ He healed him.  He healed Peter's fear, and his faithlessness, and verse 31 says He did so immediately.  All Peter wanted was to not drown, but Jesus had more in mind than that.

I love that Jesus expressed love through touching, but more than that, I love that by touching, He healed. I wonder if it was even possible for Him to touch someone, and not bring some kind of healing.   And so I think that if we ask Him for help in one area of our lives, He will do more than that.  If we're afraid of drowning, He will not only save us, but give us strength and increase our faith.  We can't reach out for His cloak, but we can pick up His Word, and in it, we'll find the healing we need ~ whether we know we need it or not.

~ "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" ~

Matthew 14:31