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It Has To Be Personal, July 26
If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
Matthew 9:21
.
It was a poor woman who spoke these words—a 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 as
she heard of the Great Healer, her hopes revived.... Again and again she had tried
in vain to get near Him.
She had begun to despair, when, in making His way through the multitude, He
came near where she was.... But amid the confusion she could not speak to Him,
nor catch more than a passing glimpse of His figure.... As He was passing, she
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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.
With a grateful heart she then tried to withdraw from the crowd; but suddenly
Jesus stopped.... The Saviour could distinguish the touch of faith from the casual
contact of the careless throng. Such trust should not be passed without comment....
Finding concealment vain, she came forward tremblingly, and cast herself at His
feet. With grateful tears she told the story of her suffering, and how she had found
relief. Jesus gently said, “Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee
whole; go in peace.” He gave no opportunity for superstition to claim healing
virtue for the mere act of touching His garments. It was not through the outward
contact with Him, but through the faith which took hold on His divine power, that
the cure was wrought....
So in spiritual things. To talk of religion in a casual way, to pray without
soul hunger and living faith, avails nothing. A nominal faith in Christ, which
accepts Him merely as the Saviour of the world, can never bring healing to the
soul.... It is not enough to believe
about
Christ; we must believe
in
Him. The only
faith that will benefit us is that which embraces Him as a personal Saviour; which
appropriates His merits to ourselves.
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