This week’s devotions are based on the Week 9 “Explore God” – Relationships that Matter! (WATCH HERE)
Matthew 9:20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”
22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.
Jesus was busy. On this particular day he was on the way to help a leader of a synagogue whose daughter had just died. As he is walking to the leader’s home, the crowd was around him and a woman touched the edge of his cloak. He didn’t just keep walking, but rather stopped and addressed the physical and spiritual need of the woman.
Not only do we see the power of God to heal, we see the power of God’s heart for the individual.
Jesus takes time for people even with he’s busy.
The only thing that stopped Jesus was a tug of his garment. In most settings, by most people, the little tug would have been ignored and life would continue…even if the person noticed the tug. Perhaps this is my projection on the situation. Little tugs are often ignored and an opportunity perhaps missed.
What are those little tugs that people send that indicate they need some attention, some help, some love…which may lead to a conversation about Jesus?
A text message?
A social media post?
An “accidental” phone call?
A “strange” comment in conversation?
The woman that encountered Jesus had trust that all she needed was a small connection to Jesus to address her bleeding.
To not miss a cue, our mindset has to be open to the interruption of others. I can get busy moving from one event to the next, one task to the next, or simply have a mindset that I don’t want to be bothered. It’s usually in the busiest times of our life that another person interrupts us with some need. Yet it may be those little tugs from people that provide great witness opportunities.
What amazes me and encourages me in Jesus’ relationships with people, is he was willing to take the time needed to address the need of a person seeking connection with him. Believers or non-believers, Jesus would take time for them.
Relationships that need Jesus are not always planned. They often come up at the most “inopportune” moments. However, our perspective of inopportune, may just be the opportunity that God is orchestrating for us to be to his witness to a soul that needs connection to Jesus.
Apply: Adjust your perspective today to notice “tugs” of people around you that might be opportunities to establish or enhance a relationship to connect them to Jesus.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for love you show to all people and the special concern and time you take to help, heal, and forgive souls. May your Spirit give me your heart! AMEN.