Belonging - Day 4
Mark 5:31
His disciples said to him, “Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”
His disciples were relatively confused by what had just happened and vocalized their surprise. They didn’t really understand how Jesus could feel someone in particular when the crowd was so close to him. it seems there must have been quite a crush of people around him.
Have you ever been in that kind of situation with so many people around you that it was overwhelming? I can remember being about 9 years old at Buckingham Palace, and we were right up against the gate, looking in at the changing of the guard. I was small, and as the crowd got more and more intense, they pressed in more and more. This was disconcerting. My father had my mom and my sister in front of him and was protecting them, but I was sure I was going to be okay and could see better from my vantage point.
I soon realized that I was in some trouble as the crush of the crowd pushed me into the gate and almost through it, as I could almost fit through the space. It became uncomfortable, and then it became scary and painful. Finally, my father was able to grab me and put me in front of him, and I felt safe. At that point, if someone had tried to take something from me, there was nothing that I could do, as I probably wouldn’t have even felt it.
Maybe the crowd around Jesus was something like this. It must have been pretty bad in that the disciples couldn’t believe that he could discern that someone had taken something from him. He would have been touched at all sides, but her touch was different somehow.
John Lennon used to walk through Central Park in New York City. When they asked him how, being so famous, he could do that, he said that as long as he kept walking, the crowds would not stop and keep him from his destination. However, if he stopped, then he said that they would inundate him and he would be in danger.
I have never been famous like this, but there are times when, if I keep moving, the crowds will part, and I can get to where I need to go.
Jesus was willing to stop, even at personal danger to himself, to see who it was that took a bit of power, by faith, from him.
His disciples said to him, “Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”
His disciples were relatively confused by what had just happened and vocalized their surprise. They didn’t really understand how Jesus could feel someone in particular when the crowd was so close to him. it seems there must have been quite a crush of people around him.
Have you ever been in that kind of situation with so many people around you that it was overwhelming? I can remember being about 9 years old at Buckingham Palace, and we were right up against the gate, looking in at the changing of the guard. I was small, and as the crowd got more and more intense, they pressed in more and more. This was disconcerting. My father had my mom and my sister in front of him and was protecting them, but I was sure I was going to be okay and could see better from my vantage point.
I soon realized that I was in some trouble as the crush of the crowd pushed me into the gate and almost through it, as I could almost fit through the space. It became uncomfortable, and then it became scary and painful. Finally, my father was able to grab me and put me in front of him, and I felt safe. At that point, if someone had tried to take something from me, there was nothing that I could do, as I probably wouldn’t have even felt it.
Maybe the crowd around Jesus was something like this. It must have been pretty bad in that the disciples couldn’t believe that he could discern that someone had taken something from him. He would have been touched at all sides, but her touch was different somehow.
John Lennon used to walk through Central Park in New York City. When they asked him how, being so famous, he could do that, he said that as long as he kept walking, the crowds would not stop and keep him from his destination. However, if he stopped, then he said that they would inundate him and he would be in danger.
I have never been famous like this, but there are times when, if I keep moving, the crowds will part, and I can get to where I need to go.
Jesus was willing to stop, even at personal danger to himself, to see who it was that took a bit of power, by faith, from him.
- Have you ever been in a powerful crowd that made you a bit worried about your safety?
- Would you have been as surprised as the disciples at what Jesus said?
- How can you move forward, without stopping, in your life of faith?
No Comments