Mark 5:31"You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?' " 32But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it.“
Just to be close to you, just to be close to you is my desire….” A few years ago Teddy Turpin, former Minister of Music at Calvary Baptist Church sang the song that spoke to my heart. He sang about being close with God and his creation. It was sung early in the morning and usually could be hummed all day. The thought of being close to the holy would be on my mind as it is now. That’s me being so close yet so far away from my creator. I have a busy day ahead and it includes going to a prayer breakfast and talking to church folks but at the same time trying to remain present with God. True the Scriptures are full of reminders of God being present with us, a Parakletos (Gr.) to help us along the journey. Just as the kids use cell phones and walk with each other and are not present with one another, I too can ignore my comforter.
At times I am just that busy. I don’t notice my environment, nature, people, or the spiritual atmosphere when I am so busy. I am trying more often to turn inward to listen to my own heart beat and the sound of my own breath. These are sounds which in the past have aggravated me. They were annoying because I have no need to hear my own heart beat. I ask myself why the doctors listen to my breathing and my heart beat. Press on my abdomen and listen to my digestive system? My inward body tells the doctors more than my mouth. My three major systems; circulatory, pulmonary and digestive tell the doctors how healthy I am. I imagine that is why Jeremiah wrote “I the LORD search the heart, [I] try the reins.” With an inward movement maybe I can hear what God hears, or become increasingly aware of what is going on inside of me. Maybe Teddy’s words to his song should be “Just to be close to me.”
The woman in Mark 5 knew that is she got closer to Jesus she would be healed. I know that if I allow myself to get closer to God I will feel better. If I allow myself to get closer to me I will feel better. My inward journey will allow me to hear me and see me more clearly. I share this because clarity is good for the soul.
Hear me Oh God as I try to hear myself and what you are saying to me by your Spirit. Let your words saturate my being and bring me joy as only you can bring to me your wonderful child. Keep us in the peace that understands every heart and mind. Allow needs to be met and desires to be fulfilled on this day. Word.