“And wherever He came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored Him that they might touch even the fringe of His garment. And as many as touched it were made well.” Mark 6:56
I read this passage recently in my quiet time, and I was struck by the simple faith these people displayed. They weren’t looking for some grand display from Jesus to prove that He could or would help them. These people had so much faith in who Jesus was (very loving) and what He could do (heal them), that they felt extreme confidence that simply touching the tassels of His robe would suffice to bring true healing into their lives. They didn’t come bringing extravagant gifts or elaborate speeches telling why He should condescend to help them. They simply trusted His love, graciousness, and power so completely that they thought the smallest touch would meet their need.
It occurred to me that this may be a very helpful way to think about our own quiet times with the Lord. How simple and beautiful it is to be able to steal away whatever time we have in the morning to sit with Him and learn from Him, just trusting that even the smallest touch will bless us and bring life and peace to our hearts. We don’t have to come with elaborate plans or long prayers to make ourselves worthy of His coming to our aid. We don’t have to expect some magnificent display from Him in the quiet of our closet. Don’t hear this as permission to have as “little time as possible” in our quiet time. Rather, hear this as freedom from the stress of needing to accomplish something in our quiet time. Our faith in Him can be/should be so complete that we believe that simply sitting in His presence, reading His word, and praying will energize our hearts and minds for service in His kingdom all day. Let’s do away with all stress associated with accomplishing something grand in our quiet times with the Lord, and instead, let’s choose to simply, calmly reach out to touch Him through prayer and Bible reading. We can express the same faith those people did in the marketplaces all those centuries ago, imploring that we might just touch even the fringe of His garment.
If you don’t already have a way you like to spend in quiet time with the Lord, then let me encourage you, to simply grab your Bible and begin reading one of the gospels. As you read, pause to pray as you are inspired by the Spirit working through the text. Pray that Spirit-inspired prayer for yourself, your family, your church, your church leaders, the worldwide church, and even the world itself. Then return to the Bible to continue reading until you find your next Spirit-inspired prayer. If you don’t have a consistent quiet time, please begin one even today. You will be blessed with vibrant life and peace for having reached out to touch Jesus.