"But how am I to come to Jesus? This is just what I don't see. If I saw Christ before me, I could arise and come to Him. But I don't really know what to do, nor what I should do. If I knew, I would do it. I want only to know what and how."
This reserved young man was evidently in deep anxiety and unusually earnest. Te help him, I said "I am glad that you have thought about this question. I hope that it can be made clear to you. The best way is to take you to God's Book. You remember what took place when the woman came near Jesus, and touched the hem of His garment?
“Tor she said within herself, If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned Him about, and when He saw her, He said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made the whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.' Matt. 9:21, 2221For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 22But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. (Matthew 9:21‑22).
"She was aware of her own sad condition. She believed He could cure her. She struggled to get to Him through the crowd. She touched His garment, and immediately was made whole. Now this woman was one who did come to Jesus."
"Yes, that is plain enough."
"But why do you say that it is plain? Tell me this: What was there in that act of hers that leads you at once to perceive that she came to Jesus? It was not her making her way to Him through the multitude. It was not the mere fact of touching Him. Others were touching Him. No; there had to be something more.
"Is it not clear that this was no common touch—a touch not merely by the fingers, but something else? Did not her heart go out to touch the heart of Jesus? Did she not put herself in such contact with Him that the soul was the instrument, and not the fingers? Here, then, is my conclusion. To come to Jesus is to do what this woman did. Try to put yourself into her place. Try to enter into her feelings, and to realize what she felt. If you can do this, you will understand what is meant by coming to Jesus.
"Observe three things about her: she knew how utterly diseased and helpless she was. She loathed herself. Is not this your case? She fully believed that there was within her reach a mighty and a loving Savior, able and willing to save her. This is what I ask you to believe. She did not withdraw until she had touched Him. She sent her soul out to Him in that touch. This is what I urge upon you. This is coming to Jesus."
"You make it very plain. It seems plain enough now."
"I will ask you a question: if Jesus were now here present before our eyes, what would you do? Would you go away?"
"Oh, no! I would go to Him. I would fall down before Him and touch Him. I would cry: 'Lord, be merciful to me a sinner.' "
"But is He not here? I beg you to send out your heart and soul on this errand. Touch Him, and be saved. He is at hand and He is waiting for this touch in faith from you."
The scales fell off the eyes of that man, and he touched Jesus with as true a touch as did the woman of old. The touch of faith was known to the Savior, and the sinner was healed.
And now there was a change obvious to all. That dark, reserved, almost sullen-faced man was eager to speak and tell the good news to all. He had simple joy in his salvation and honest faith in the saving power of that touch. He loved to bear testimony to every one of that which was so dear to his own soul.
Friend, will you only touch Jesus, as the woman did? Let your heart reach out to Him. Touch Him, and be made whole.
"She only touched the hem of His garment,
As to His side she stole,
Amid the crowd that gathered around Him,
And straightway she was whole.
Oh, touch the hem of His garment,
And thou too shalt be free!
His saving power this very hour
Shall give new life to thee."