Will we press in or sit back?

When the woman who was subject to bleeding for 12 years saw that Jesus had returned to Galilee she knew this was her chance. She knew that if she could just touch his cloak, she would be healed and restored. When she finally broke through the tremendous crowds who the bible said were almost crushing Jesus, she was able to touch the edge of His robe. The result? She was completely healed. Her bleeding immediately stopped and Jesus then commended her by saying “your faith has healed you.” Before the woman came forward and told Jesus that she was indeed the one who touched him, He asked “who touched me?” The disciples replied, master, people from all sides are surrounding you and pushing up against you…He said in response, “Someone touched me. I know that power has gone out of me.”
Reading this story again made me think about my faith, and where I am in relation to Jesus. There were probably thousands of people surrounding Jesus that day, pressing up against him, wanting to get just a glimpse. Thousands who were in awe of this man and the amazing things they saw him say and do. What was the difference between the woman who forced her way through the multitude to touch him and the ones who were surrounding him, pressing up against Him? This causes me to ask myself a couple of questions. Am I someone who is standing around Jesus watching him do miracles and touch others, or am I like the woman who is so desperate for his touch that I’ll do anything I possibly can to get to him? Do I believe his word enough to believe it to the point of no return? The woman had absolutely no doubt that when she touched Him she’d be healed.
Sometimes I think that we’re not sure deep down in our hearts that what God says is absolutely true, so we stand around Jesus in the crowd, not pressing in to Him to obtain all that He has for us. We’re not really convinced that God’s desire is for us to be healed, so we don’t really press in to get what He’s promised. We’re not sure that God has great plans for us, so we stay on the sidelines of life rather than taking that step of faith in order to get in the game. We don’t really know that when Jesus says in John 10:10 that “He has come in order that we will have life in abundance, to the full, until it overflows”, he really means it. Are we pressing into Jesus enough to really believe these promises? Do you really believe that when the Bible says “by his stripes you are healed” that this applies to you? The great news, is that it absolutely does. Every promise, every word from the mouth of God is for us. We just have to believe it. We don’t need to go with our past experiences, or think that we’ve never seen anyone healed when we pray for them. We need to move past those things and believe the word of God in faith, not in sight. We need to know that when things look tough and the bills are coming in, God says that he provides according to His riches in glory. God promises that as we obey him and believe, he takes care of us. He heals us. He provides for us. He is our Father and we don’t have to worry.
Another thought is that people think it’s humility to allow others to get a touch from God and not themselves. “Just let her go…she needs it more than I do.” Or “I’ll pray for her healing, but I’ll be fine. I can handle it.” “It’s always better to pray for others, and when you do, you’ll also be blessed.” I know I’ve been guilty of saying these things before, but the truth is that God wants YOU healed and whole, too. He wants to touch YOU with his presence and fullness, as well as others. He wants you to walk in wholeness and be fulfilled in every area of your life because he LOVES YOU. When you walk in the power of God and his fullness it releases others to do the same. Shrinking back has never helped anyone. The truth is, there is enough of God to go around so that EVERYONE can experience his goodness and all He has to give.
So, a question to ask yourself today is “am I living a life pressing in to receive all that Jesus has for me, expecting God’s best today, or am I just one of the crowd staying back watching as He touches others?”
God wants you to be fulfilled and whole in every way. He wants us to live a John 10:10 life! A life in abundance, to the full and till it overflows!