The Hem of His Garment

                                                             Mark 6:56
                           Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country,
                         they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that
                                    they might just touch the hem of His garment.
                                   And as many as touched Him were made well.

Jesus and the disciples crossed the seas and came to the land of Gennesaret.  As they came out of the boat immediately the people recognized Jesus and began running to Him, carrying the sick on beds to where He was.

The touch of the hem of the Master's garment, that is all they wanted. Not silver, gold, or great possessions, just to touch His garment. To them that was everything. They knew Jesus was enough. They knew if they could touch just the hem of His garment their lives would be made whole again. In desperation they ran to Him.

How desperate are we to run to Jesus? Do we know that He is enough? Do we live knowing because we have touched the hem of His garment by asking Him into our heart, our life has been made whole again? We no longer live under the condemnation of our past sins, but have been made clean by the blood of Jesus. No longer do we live with hopelessness in the midst of heartache. With Jesus all things are possible!

            But Jesus looked at them,
                          "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
                                                                                                    __Matthew 19:26

When hard times come do we run to Jesus, knowing as they did, that He is the answer, or do we first attempt to figure things out on our own, and when all else fails run to Him? Jesus came that we would not have to live on oun own, but look to Him.

            O LORD, I know the way of man is not of himself;
            It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.         __Jeremiah 10:23

            For in Him we live and move
            And have our being.                                                       __Acts 17:28

If only we may touch the hem of His garment. Praise God we have!

         "And as many as touched Him were made well."
                   

What Do You Want?

Matthew 20:32
So Jesus stood still and called them, and said,
"What do you want Me to do for you?"

Jesus and the disciples were leaving Jericho, surrounded by a great multitude. This is where we find two blind men sitting by the road crying out to Him, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David."(Matthew 20:30) In spite of the chatter all about, Jesus hears their desperate plea and stops to find the two men. Seeing them sitting all alone, unable to find their way, with compassion in His voice He calls to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?"

Jesus must have known what they wanted. Surely they were desperate to be healed of their blindness. So why did He ask? Could it be Jesus wanted them to speak their need, and in so doing proclaim, "It is You, Jesus, who can heal us! You alone have the power to give us our sight." The Scriptures continue with the words
           So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes.
           And immediately their eyes received sight,
           and they followed Him.       __Matthew 20:34

As Jesus asked them what it was they wanted, He asks us the same.
           "What do you want Me to do for You?"

He longs to hear our cry in the desperate places of our lives. Just as He stopped at the cry of the blind men, He will stop for us.

            In that day when I cried out, You answered me,
            And made me bold with strength in my soul.
                                                    __Psalm 138:3

And just as He answered their cry, giving them sight, He will answer us.

            Then you will call upon Me, and go and pray to Me,
            And I will listen to you.
            And you will seek Me, and find Me when you search
            for Me with all your heart.     __Jeremiah 29:12-13


           "What do you want Me to do for You?"
                                                          __Matthew 20:32

             May you hear Him calling.