Having had no physical contact with any human being for over three months (due to social isolation during the current pandemic) it is easy to imagine how hard it was for this woman to reach out to touch Jesus. Most of us are isolating at the moment, but many with family or at least partners so there is still that contact with another human on a daily basis, but for those isolating alone, they may speak to another when they go to the shops or to a neighbour, or even on the phone, but there is never the element of touch in any of these encounters. That is the isolation this woman was experiencing, she was considered “unclean” and no one would touch her or allow her to touch them. How much courage, then, must it have taken for her to reach out and touch this man, Jesus, that everyone was talking about.

Reach out and touch the Lord,
But do not leave it there;
Let Him reach in and touch your heart,
And show to you His care.

He’s waiting for His children,
To come to Him in need;
He’s waiting here to meet us,
Our hungry hearts to feed.

From the one who will grab His arm boldly,
To the one who will just brush His hem;
He treats not a single one different,
His love flows to each one of them.

When we come with our needs and our longings,
When we come with our deepest desire;
He looks at the faith we think tiny,
And responds with His Holy Ghost fire.

And the faith we thought but an ember,
An offering too puny and small;
He takes and He grows and He stretches,
Till it stands, like a giant, so tall.

So come touch the hem of His garment,
Come, with your loved one near death;
Come, bring your need to the Master,
Come, and be filled by His Breath.

For He will breathe life in your spirit,
And He will place hope in your heart;
When you come and bring all of your worries,
He’ll give you a glorious, new start.

© Ailsa Yates 23/11/98