Touch of Faith
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sleepeth.” They were indignant at the words of the Stranger. They had
seen the child in the embrace of death, and they laughed Him to scorn.
Requiring them all to leave the house, Jesus took with Him the father
and mother of the maiden, and the three disciples, Peter, James, and
John, and together they entered the chamber of death.
Jesus approached the bedside, and, taking the child’s hand in His
own, He pronounced softly, in the familiar language of her home, the
words, “Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.”
Instantly a tremor passed through the unconscious form. The
pulses of life beat again. The lips unclosed with a smile. The eyes
opened widely as if from sleep, and the maiden gazed with wonder on
the group beside her. She arose, and her parents clasped her in their
arms, and wept for joy.
On the way to the ruler’s house, Jesus had met, in the crowd, a
poor woman who for twelve years had suffered from a disease that
made her life a burden. She had spent all her means upon physicians
and remedies, only to be pronounced incurable. But her hopes revived
when she heard of the cures that Christ performed. She felt assured
that if she could only go to Him she would be healed. In weakness and
suffering she came to the seaside where He was teaching, and tried to
press through the crowd, but in vain. Again she followed Him from
the house of Levi-Matthew, but was still unable to reach Him. She had
begun to despair, when, in making His way through the multitude, He
came near where she was.
The golden opportunity had come. She was in the presence of the
Great Physician! But amid the confusion she could not speak to Him,
nor catch more than a passing glimpse of His figure. Fearful of losing
her one chance of relief, she pressed forward, saying to herself, “If I
may but touch His garment, I shall be whole.” As He was passing, she
reached forward, and succeeded in barely touching the border of His
garment. But in that moment she knew that she was healed. In that
one touch was concentrated the faith of her life, and instantly her pain
and feebleness gave place to the vigor of perfect health.
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With a grateful heart she then tried to withdraw from the crowd; but
suddenly Jesus stopped, and the people halted with Him. He turned,
and looking about asked in a voice distinctly heard above the confusion
of the multitude, “Who touched Me?” The people answered this query