I sought the Lord, and He answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 34:4 (ESV)
Series: The Gift of Faith
Remember the Little Golden Book The Little Engine that Could? My kids loved that book when they were small. It was a story that began with a large locomotive pulling a long train of freight cars filled with toys and food. The delivery was over a mountain. While attempting to climb the mountain, the large locomotive broke down. Engineers tried to get other large engines to take the loaded freight cars, but they refused to help.
Finally, the only engine left in the yard was The Little Engine, and he agreed to give it a try. His famous words as he started up the mountainside were, “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.”
He tried so hard. He gave everything he had to achieve the goal of delivering the food and toys. As he inched closer to the top of the mountain, his words became, “I know I can. I know I can. I know I can.” And, he did.
This story reminds me of a woman in the Bible. We don’t know her name, but her story appears in three books of the New Testament, each telling of her 12 years of suffering with an issue of blood. We don’t know what this condition was, but it consumed all her money as she went to numerous doctors seeking healing with no success. The condition labeled her as unclean under the law and made anyone touching her or her surroundings to also be unclean. What a lonely, painful life she must have endured. All her money could not help her. Medical knowledge of the day could not heal her. Society rejected her. But Jesus…
She lived in the time of the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. The Word doesn’t say how she knew of Him, but we can safely assume word of His teachings and miracles reached even her isolated ears. Jesus had already fed the 5,000 with seven loaves of bread and two fish. He had raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead. He had cast out evil spirits. These were not small things, and neither was her need.
One day, as she heard the people following Jesus, she joined the crowd. As she went, her one thought was,
“If I only touch even His garment, I will be made well.” Matthew 9:21 (ESV)
This reminds me of The Little Engine that Could–so little physical strength but a lot of faith. When the woman made her way through the crowd, she reached out and touched His robe. Her healing was immediate. She knew it and so did Jesus. He asked who touched Him, and she fell at His feet, told her story, and admitted it was she who had touched Him. He didn’t allow her to just walk away. He wanted a response. He wanted her to give Him glory for what He had done. He spoke beautiful, reassuring words.
“Your faith has made you well.” Matthew 9:22 (ESV)
That’s the end of her story in the Bible. Wouldn’t you love to know the sequel? Imagine being pain-free and no longer ostracized by those around you. What a testimony, all because she reached out and touched Him!
Reading this familiar story again, I realize how like her we are before we know Him as our Savior. We look for those things or try to buy something that can fix our lives or bring us joy or contentment. Nothing will ever fill that space in our hearts that He created for Himself except Him. And like the woman, we do not have to strain or strive to have the peace that only comes from being His child. To have a tiny measure of faith, believing in what we cannot see with our natural eye, to reach out to Him, and know with unwavering assurance He will say to us, “Your faith has made you whole.”
But He wants us to not just walk away with our gift of salvation. He wants us to share what He has done with that one simple touch to our hearts from our one small cry of faith. He wants us to tell of the gift He has given us. What should we do? It reminds me of an old song that says, oh to be His hand extended, reaching out to the oppressed. Let me touch Him. Let me touch Jesus so that others may know and be blessed.
Just like The Little Engine, let’s lean into the strength of our faith, no matter how small, and accomplish His work for us here.
Holding Fast to Hope,
Debby
Guest Writer
Scripture References: Psalm 34:4; Matthew 9:18-26
