Pushing forward through the crowd

One touch of His mercy...

On May 5th Liberation Day is celebrated here in Holland, as we have been doing every year since 1945! Every year American, Canadian and British war veterans receive honor as we celebrate our freedom. A large crowd of people gathers at our National Monument in Amsterdam the evening before, where the Queen places a wreath in honor of the fallen soldiers. Large crowds gather at Liberation festivals, concerts and other festivities, it seems there are people everywhere!

Looking at these enormous crowds I had to think about the crowds that always surrounded Jesus. The Bible often mentions that a large crowd gathered around Him while He spoke. In Mark 3:10 we can read such a eye witness report: Because of the crowd He told his disciples to have a small boat ready for Him, to keep the people from crowding Him. For He had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch Him.

I find this fascinating! The people were not just spectators, waiting to see something spectacular... no, they pushed their way forward to touch Him! One woman was so desperately ill that she thought to herself: If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed (Mark 5:28). At some other time people brought a blind man to Jesus and literally begged Him to touch the poor man. But it wasn't just sick people who came to Jesus, anyone in need of his touch was welcome. In Luke 18:15 it says: People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have Him touch them.

People from all walks of life, young and old, men, women and children, the sick and the healthy... they all pushed their way to the crowds to touch Him! This is such a great picture of what we still need to do today. Sometimes we must push through a crowd of resistance, of unbelief, discouragement and doubt in order to touch the One who heals and delivers us from our fears and weaknesses. When we push our way forward, to be closer to the One who holds all the answers, we automatically turn our back to our problems. Psalm 44:5 encourages us with the following words: Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes. We can experience His touch as we seek to be close to Him. It reminds me of a song by country singer Ken Holloway, he sings: "One touch of His mercy will heal all that's hurting in me..."

May I encourage you to push forward? PUSH = Pray Until Something Happens!