Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 192, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 August 1913 — Only A Touch [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Only A Touch

By REV. PARLEY E. ZARTMANN. D. D.

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TEXT—Who touched tne’-Luke 8:45.

The story of this nameless woman and the miracle of her healing is found in each of the synoptic gospels, and it is especially prominent in that of St Mark; in fact, it is one of the striking cartoons which this evangelist uses in describing the work of Christ. Of all the characters in the

gospel this nameless woman Is- the most touching, and her attitude toward Jesus, his treatment of her, and the gracious results serve as encouragement to anyone who doubts his fitness for approach to Christ or his worthiness to receive anything from Christ. It is the story of a miracle by the way. Jesus had been requested by Jalrue to come to his house and heal his daughter. As he was going on bls way and much people followed him and thronged him, a certain woman, seriously ill for twelve yean, suffering many things of many physicians, and growing worse instead of better, came In the crowd about Jesus and touched the hem of his garment She was a great sufferer from her disease and disappointment . . Recognition. I Jesus noticed her touch; “And Jesus immediately knowing In himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?" He knows the slightest movement of the eoul toward himself, he feels the burdens we bear, for he is touched with a feeling of our infirmities. Like the father In Luke 15 he goes out to meet the returning wanderer. What an encouragement it is to the sinner to realize this approachableness and responsiveness of the great Savior. Sometimes we are in doubt about the character and love of God, but every revelation of the tenderness, compassion and thoughtfulness of Jesus is also a revelation of the fact that God is like him. Ha knows our reaching out after him; let us be sure of that. “1 waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto md> and heard my cry.” Get close to Jesus in love and faith, and touch him. His heart and love and power will respond. "The healing of his seamless dress Is by our Ibfeds ot pain; We touch him in life’s throng and pna And we are whole again." Jesus rewards the woman, though she had mistaken ideas about his character and his work; but One thing she knew—she was sick and there was a healer; she touched him and that brought blessing and benediction. Jesus did not stop to raise questions a* to her character or criticise her for her conduct. He responded to the weak faith and the earnest desire of the woman, “And said unto her. Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.” The story shows that faith is personal allegiance to a personal Christ Many of us need simpler ideas and teaching about saving faith. Christ saves, not a creed; Christ saves, not a church; although creed and church are important and must find their place in the life of the saved sinner. The woman got more than she asked; the experience of every believing, loyal,, trusting soul is, "My cup runneth over." Confession. Who touched me? Christ waits for the answer, although the disciples said unto him, “Thou seest the multitude thronging to thee, and sayest thou, who touched me?” And Jesus waits until the woman tells him all the truth and goes away not only with a healed body but with her sins forgiven and the affectionate approval of Jesus. There is a vast difference between thronging about Christ and touching him; the supreme thing is to get at him. Having received blessing from Christ it is our duty to make his will our life and to confess him before others, because we love him and because* we want to help others. Has there been disease, disappointment, despair in your life? Reach out and touch Jesus. Think of his power until you say, God can save; think of, his love until you can say, God will save; then the touch of faith will bring a change—conscious, complete, confessed. Jesus meets the peculiar need of each soul: pardon to the penitent* justification to the guilty, cleansing to the impure. You should come to him waiting for nothing; so coming Christ will receive you. God’s mercy is greater than all the sins of the world; there is salvation for you if you will have it. "She only touched the hem of his garAe to his side she stole; Amid the crowd that gathered around him. And straightway she was made whole. Oh. touch the hem of his varment. And thou. too. shalt be free; tsra