June 29th Animation by Bill Lynch

The Robe
Read Mark 5:21-43

You know I  was a little damp that day. It happens when you are a robe out in a boat. You can't help but to take on the weather in one form or another. If it's dusty, I get dusty and dirty. Sometimes I'm damp from the weather and sometimes I'm damp from the sweat of the Savior wearing me. This day I was damp from being on the boat and damp from the sweat of the Savior and the crowd we were walking through.

A ruler of the synagogue came up to Jesus and told him about his daughter that was dying. This father wanted Jesus to lay his hands on his daughter and heal her. You could tell the man was worried about his daughter. Seems father's get this way especially about their daughters. A father's love for a daughter is a unique and caring love that brings forth deep love from the heart of the father.

So off I go with the Savior, flowing through the crowd and pressed by every side. I was rubbing against so many people that I was getting dirty just from the dust of not only the earth but the dust that had clung to the hands and robes of the many people around me.

Then Jesus proclaimed..."Who touched my robe?" Well, everyone was touching me at the time. What did Jesus mean by who? Who could tell? But one woman confessed that it was her. It was strange. When this woman touched me, I could feel a flow of power from my Savior... through me... to the woman. It was as if I was energized somehow.

The woman had been bleeding and wasn't able to be cured  to this day. She confessed to the Savior that she had touched his robe looking for healing. Jesus told her that her faith had made her well. She touched the Savior for healing, believing that she would be healed, and was healed. It was amazing for the woman and for me too.

Finally Jesus gets to the home of the daughter. The people at the home told Jesus that he was too late. The girls was dead. But the Savior told them that she was just sleeping. Now come on! Everyone knows the difference between sleeping and death, even an old robe like me can tell this difference. But Jesus chose to ignore these words and had everyone step outside. Well, I was there! After all Jesus wore me into that room. The Savior told the girl to get up and she got up! The Savior took her to the people and told them to give her something to eat. Just like that!

The events of this day fascinated me for years. I felt power flow through me and bring healing to the bleeding woman, I saw power flow from Jesus in the raising of the daughter. I'm only a dirty, dusty, muddy robe but Jesus used me to move his power through me. I think Jesus uses many more things than myself to convey God's power to people in need. I think Jesus has called all sorts of things, animals and yes, even people who have faith and some who don't to convey this healing, loving, living power of life to God's creation.

It's amazing to see and feel God active in this world today. You might say that God touching our lives is a miracle that happens all the time. Maybe we should all pause and look and see and be open to being the one to convey that power of God to those God gives to us each day. Wow! What a miracle life is... today... tomorrow... and forever. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Jesus, you step into this world and give life. You work miracles we don't see and miracles we choose to ignore. Open our eyes to witness the miracle of your power and grace before our eyes each and every day. And when needed use us to show the awesome power of your love... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen