“Knowledge about Jesus and a lived encounter with him are two radically different things.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – August 10, 2024
She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” Mark 5:27-28, ESV
To borrow the language from Mark 5, I have “heard reports about Jesus” for my entire life. Growing up in a devout family in the American South, one couldn’t pass a single day without hearing about Jesus in one way or another. He was on our radio and tv, on billboards and church signs as we drove around, and filled every bookshelf in our home. If I wanted to learn something about him, the options were endless. Yet knowledge about Jesus and a lived encounter with him are two radically different things.
It is possible to go your entire life with a knowledge of Jesus that never transforms your heart. Just this week, I was reflecting upon a man I know in his 70s who spent his entire life in the pews of a beautiful and majestic church, attending faithfully with his family week in and week out. Yet, as he looked back on his life, he realized Christ was not the foundation upon which his life had been built. It was nothing more than a social norm and a way to offer his kids a bit of “moral direction.” Grieving this, he recently said, “It’s time to get serious about faith.” He’s ready to move from “reports about Jesus” to an intimate encounter. Can you and I say the same?
Reflect today on ways that you have stayed hidden in the crowd, observing Jesus from a distance. There’s a sense of safety in anonymity, for we expose our fears and vulnerabilities when we step out of the crowd and draw near to Jesus. The woman in Mark 5 touches Christ’s garment and, in so doing, lays bare her pain and brokenness for all to see. She is entirely at the mercy of Christ, and this is exactly where he wants her to be, for this is the place of transformation. Yes, it’s “safe” in a crowd, but our Lord heals, renews, and restores us when we are close enough to touch the hem of his garment.
Prayer
Father, heal us and make us whole as we move from distant reports about your son and instead learn to dwell in his presence, close enough to touch the hem of his garment. Amen.
Application
Reflect today on ways that you have stayed hidden in the crowd, observing Jesus from a distance.
Related Reading
Psalm 91:1-2; Matthew 11:28-30; John 15:4-5
Worship Resource
Gateway Worship feat. Matthew & Jessie Harris: Open the Eyes of My Heart
Donate
If you are blessed by these daily devotionals please prayerfully consider a donation to support Wisdom Hunters Resources. We are trusting the Lord for His provision.
Download our app!
