Lent Devotional | week five
In the Bible story we discussed yesterday in church, we learned that Jesus knew power had left him. This is why he had asked who touched him. There are so many things we were unable to get to in this discussion. I would like to walk through some of them in this devotional. My hope is that we will see how very rich this one story in the Bible is in helping us understand the power Jesus offers to us all.
Mark wrote that Jesus realized that power had left him when the woman touched his clothing. We discussed how ridiculous the disciples thought it was for Jesus to ask who touched him. The disciples did not have the same awareness of Jesus’ power. Jesus knew his miraculous power had been released. The word translated as power in this story is the Greek work dunamis, which is the root word of the English word dynamite. This word means power, explosive, and noticeable power. It was not explosive as in a huge fireball, the likes of what you would see in a Hollywood action movie. However, this power was dynamite in what it did for this woman. The power of a touch, a connection, was what transferred the power of Jesus to the woman. That connection was key. The power of the connection was immediately known by Jesus and the woman. To say it was a dynamite connection is not too far off.
There was great compassion in Jesus’ response to the woman. We don’t often couple power and compassion together. You are either powerful or compassionate. Jesus always seemed to bring two things together that we don’t usually put together. In Jesus we see humility coupled with confidence, we see surrender coupled with sovereignty, we see love coupled with commands. In this story we see Jesus carrying such miraculous power in his being that it can be released with a single touch. We see that single touch releasing miraculous power to heal a condition that no one else could even come close to healing. We also see Jesus' great compassion in seeking to know the person who was healed. Jesus knew someone had been healed. He could feel the power being released and knew the result. He asked who had touched him not out of anger, but out of compassion. When the woman tells him what had happened to her, Jesus speaks out of love and compassion for her. Jesus says, “Daughter, your faith has healed you; go in peace, healed from your disease.” It was Jesus' love and compassion that moved him to want to interact with her in a more personal way.
How does this story from Scripture impact your life today? There is supernatural, explosive, miraculous power available to you today. Jesus wants for you to get so close you can touch him, feel him, and receive his power. Whatever it is you are facing, and however long it has been plaguing you, and nothing else has been able to help, Jesus has the power to transform that part of your life. It is available to you today. Why? Because more than the power Jesus possesses is the love Jesus has for you. Jesus loves you and wants to shower you with grace and compassion. Sometimes that looks like the release of miraculous power. Other times it is the gift of miraculous purpose, healing, forgiveness, or peace. Jesus loves you and wants for you to experience the miraculous in every part of your life. Jesus only has the power to offer this miraculous life. Will you draw close to Jesus today [through silence, prayer, Scripture] and receive the miraculous power that Jesus alone can release in your life?
As you think about the miraculous power from Jesus pray over and answer these questions:
1. Have you been spending time getting as close as you can to Jesus?
2. Do you desire to touch Jesus and receive his power?
3. Where do you need this miraculous power in your life?
4. How could Jesus bring power in your life?
5. How does the presence of miraculous power inform the way we pray and the way we live?
Prayer:
Almighty God, you alone hold the power to tame our unruly wills and affections; Grant us your grace to love what you command and desire what you promise. The world we live in changes very quickly, grant us the power to keep our hearts fixed where true joys are to be found and to desire only the power and compassion available through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever, Amen.
Adapted from The Book of Common Prayer