Close Enough to Touch

When I was a teenager, I had an opportunity to sing a solo in a special production at church called Women at the Well. It is a collection of songs by women in the New Testament of the Bible who each had a story to tell of their particular meeting with the Savior Jesus Christ. First of all, I had never sung a solo before in front of an audience, so that was frightening in itself, but I wanted to do my best and I loved to sing. I was given my song assignment and started to practice at home, I was going to be playing the girl that Jesus blessed and arose from the dead. But then I was changed and given a new song to sing called "Close Enough to Touch", I was to be the woman with an issue of blood for many years who touched the Saviours garment and through her strong faith, she was healed.

This story is found in the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), the most comprehensive of which is found in Mark 5:25-34:

 

 "25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

 28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

 31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

 32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.

 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

 34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague."

 

and Luke 8:43-48:

 

" 43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,

 44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.

 45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

 46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.

 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.

48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace."

 

 So I practiced and practiced, until I knew the song by heart. On the evening of the production, my fellow young women friends and I dressed ourselves in dresses and hair coverings that would have been similar to what women wore during the time of Christ. I was the second out of maybe a dozen songs. My turn arrived and I stood to sing. I remember I kept my eyes closed during the first few lines trying to gain courage and forget the audience who was listening. In many ways, I was trying to truly become the woman who I was singing about. While singing, I noticed a dear friend of our family in the audience who struggles with Multiple Sclerosis, who I admire greatly. She had tears running down her face, and I realized that this song I was singing was most likely describing much of what she has felt through the years of her physical struggles. Never could I have imagined that only a decade later, I would listen to the words of this song and it was as if they were written for me! I can't help but think that God chose me to sing this particular song and learn the words by heart for a special reason beyond what I could have understood at the time.

The Following are music and lyrics to this beautiful piece called "Close Enough To Touch" by Kenneth Cope from the production called "Women at the Well":

"I've suffered much and given all
For many healers care
But nothing better - only worse
An overwhelming load to bear
Until I'm ready to lay down and die
But from the window I hear this hope filled cry
A Man named Jesus - He's come to heal us
And suddenly my faith comes alive

(Chorus)
If I get close enough to touch
Close enough to heal
Somehow I know I'll be whole
If I'm close enough
Close enough to feel
His healing power so real
Now I believe there's a miracle for me
If I'm close enough to touch

I press my way into the crowd
And touch the Master's clothes
A perfect cure felt deep inside
He turns to ask - I turn to hide
I'm afraid to reveal what was done
How I called on His power to right this wrong
But this is Jesus - He's hear to heal us
I fall at His feet and tell Him

(Chorus)
I came close enough to touch
Close enough to heal
Faith let me know I'd be whole
If I was close enough
Close enough to feel
His love for me so real
I will believe there are miracles for me
When I'm close enough to touch

And down on my knees
As He turns to leave
His eyes seem to say - Just believe
Always believe
that he's close enough to touch"