The Power of Touch

The Power of Touch

Today’s Scripture for you to read: Matthew 9:18-26

I hear too many Christians say, “I’m a private person” and they rarely share their needs with others. I can understand that attitude to a certain extent. With the proliferation of social media, the details of a person’s private life can quickly become public knowledge if it’s shared by the wrong person on Facebook, Instagram or X. Ironically, some of those same people who say, “I’m a private person” also expect their pastor to read their minds and somehow know what’s happening in their lives. News Flash! We pastors aren’t all-knowing! That quality belongs to the Three members of the Trinity, my friends. Which brings me to the Scripture mentioned above . . . Matthew 9:18-26.

That woman had a hidden need that those around her knew nothing about. Maybe you have a hidden need, too. That woman had tried every available means to meet her need, but nothing worked. Mark 5:26 tells us that she had spent all her money and her condition was only growing worse. What a terrible place to be. To struggle with a private physical condition and forced or compelled to keep it to oneself.

But then something changed. She admitted her need and went to Jesus. Do you wonder, when nothing else worked, why she went to Jesus as her last resort? Maybe she created plenty of other excuses for not approaching Him earlier . . . She was a woman . . . a woman with a bleeding disease . . . forced to be called “unclean” and compelled to live outside the community. Does she sound like a “private person”? One day she came to her senses and, despite the crowd and although He was on His way to the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue, to heal his daughter, the woman put aside her need for privacy and went to Jesus. “One touch of the hem of His garment” she reasoned. “Just one touch!”

Never be afraid, my friend, to go to Jesus OR to your pastor with your “private” situation. Jesus is never too busy. And God forbid that your pastor is too busy to sit down with you and listen. Start with the faith you have and reach out to the hem of Jesus’ garment.  You have to start somewhere!  A person doesn’t have to have a seminary degree to experience the power of Christ is his or her life. This woman’s faith was what prompted her to reach out to the Lord. And Jesus said it was her faith that healed her.

My friend, when will you lay aside your excuses, forget the failures of the past, and press through the crowd to reach out to Jesus? By faith, take hold of Him. He’ll do the rest. Never, never underestimate the power of a touch of faith. And never underestimate the love that your church family is waiting to show you regardless of your “private” situation.

Thanks for reading Pastor Dale’s Mid-Week Encouragement. If you’re a regular attender or member of the Mt. Laurel Church of God, please consider reading this Scripture passage before Sunday, June 22 . . . 1 Kings 19:1-15 to get ready to hear God’s message through Pastor Dale this coming Sunday, June 22, 2025.

Oh, one more thing . . . Because Pastor Dale will be away on vacation at Camp YoliJwa from the afternoon of June 22 until the evening of June 28, there will be NO PD’s Mid-Week Encouragement on Wednesday, June 25.

Called to know the Way, go the Way, and show you the Way,

^{Pastor Dale}

Pastor Dale (PD) and Pamela his wife are honored to serve the Mt. Laurel Church of God. If this Mid-Week Encouragement has helped you, perhaps it may encourage someone else. Feel free to share this message with anyone you choose. And if you'd like to receive PD's Mid-Week Encouragement, just send an email to (kingdomguy@gmail.com) and I'll accommodate your request.