If I Could Just ...

"In front of everyone, she explained why she had touched him and how she had been immediately healed.  'Daughter, your faith has healed you,' Jesus said.  'Go in peace.' "  Luke 8:47b-48

The worship design team had planned a particular worship experience around the central theme of recognizing the presence of God in our daily living.  We all agreed that asking some of our congregants to share their 'cardboard testimony' would be a great witness to such recognition of the transforming presence of God.  There are no adequate words to describe the emotions behind the words in those conversations I had with about 40 folks, explaining what we wanted to do, why I was calling them, etc.  In essence, I knew a little of their stories and was God's choice in helping them tell it more fully. 

The Sunday morning came and at the close of the sermon, everyone took their place ... and it didn't look like the start of a livestock sale as about 40 folks got up and took their place just stage left of the worship platform.  When the music began, so did their little parade.  It was amazing!  Each person walked to center-platform and held for their church family to read the few words or phrase that described his/her life before the presence of Christ.  After a few seconds, they flipped the cardboard over to reveal the transformation in them because of Christ. One by one our friends bore witness to the transformation that Jesus brought to their lives; there are so many stories still etched in my minds with those scant words matched to faces that represent such journeys!!  But, one in particular stops me in my tracks every time I hear this story of this encounter in scripture.

That Sunday morning, Jamie took center stage.  She was a young mom facing her third recurrence of cancer.  Struggling to figure out how to stay strong, to try hard yet again.  She showed us the first side of her testimony:  SCARED TO DEATH.  No joke, who wouldn't be.  Those who knew Jamie that morning began to cry because they were scared, too.  As she turned her piece of cardboard over to reveal the impact of Christ's presence in her life, you could see it on her face and in her body before we read the words.  As sick as she was, her backbone straightened a bit and that broad, beautiful smile of hers lit up the whole sanctuary.  "TOUCHED THE HEM OF HIS ROBE."  We all felt it, even those who didn't know her; we felt the victory that Jamie was claiming in Jesus Christ. 

Jamie knew that healing was hers if she could just touch the hem of his robe.  And, Jesus lets us do that.  Man-handle him, that is.  Touch, tug on, plead with, question and lean on ... he lets us do that just like he let that woman in the marketplace and the young woman dying because of cancer.  But, Jamie learned that day when she felt the power of Jesus course through her that physical healing was but a smidgen of what Jesus is offering you and me ... and Jamie. 

I know this:  if I could just... is possible when I step out in faith.  Jamie showed me how.

Lord Jesus, I feel you smiling on me, on us with the same kind of smile you gave Jamie.  I am so very blessed that I got to see that marketplace walk right in front of me with her courage and determination to get to you no matter what.  Give me what you gave Jamie, please?  Not just for my own healing, but so that I can be that same example of courage and strength can mean.  Amen.