Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our Reading titled, Kling to Jesus, was written by Karen Huang.

Dizziness struck me in the stairwell of the office building. Overwhelmed. I gripped the

banister because the stairs seemed to spin. As my heart pounded and my legs buckled, I clung onto

the banister, thankful for its strength. Medical tests showed I had anemia. Although its cause wasn't serious and my condition

was resolved, I'll never forget how weak I felt that day. That's why I admire the woman who

touched Jesus in Matthew Chapter 9. She not only moved through the crowd in her weakened state,

but she also showed faith in venturing out to approach him.

She had good reason to be afraid.

Jewish law defined her as unclean,

and by exposing others to her uncleanness, she could face serious consequences.

But the thought, if I only touch his cloak, kept her going.

The Greek word that is translated as touch in Matthew 921 is not mere touching, but has the stronger meaning of

to hold onto or to attach oneself. The woman tightly held on to Jesus. She believed he could

heal her. Jesus saw, in the midst of a crowd, the desperate faith of one woman.

When we too venture out in faith and cling to Christ in our need, he welcomes us and comes to our aid.

We can tell him our story without fear of rejection or

punishment. Jesus tells us today, cling to me. Today's Our Daily Bread Devotional

Scripture reading is from Matthew

Chapter 9, verses 18 through 22. While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt

before him and said, My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live. Jesus got up and went with him,

and so did his disciples. Just then, a woman who had been subject to bleeding for 12 years, came up

behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, if I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.

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