Hem of His Garment

Grace for the Road

/ pastorpete51 / 7 Comments 
At the hem of the garment of Jesus
Was a place that was humble and low
And a Master so Holy yet gentle
All the years of her searching He knows

While she presses through crowds Jesus lingered
No one noticed her there in that place
But there at the hem of His garment
She found mercy and healing and grace

So trust Him today and forever
Take hold of the hem of His robe
For He welcomes the humble and weary
And has promised us grace for the road!


Grace For the Road by Peter Caligiuri © 2020
All rights reserved


And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.”  Matthew 9:20-21 ESV

The Hem of His Garment

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. Matthew 9:20 ESV

My wife has completed many a long sewing project by placing a hem on the material she is working on. In a traditional men’s shirt there are a least a dozen hems, but on the garment of Christ there was only one. We know this because the soldiers gambled to see who would get his robe because it was all one piece. The only hem available for this woman to touch was the very lowest point of the robe of Jesus Christ.

Like this woman in the crowd, our own needs may have dominated our focus for years. Friends, family, and even her ability to enter a place or worship all were affected by that need, until the day Jesus passed by in the crowd. We are not told if she had listened to Jesus’ words herself or if she had simply believed what others had told her about him. What we do know is that the message she had heard about Jesus Christ was enough for her to determine that she would do anything to get to Him. For that one single moment, the power of her need had no ability to prevent her from pressing through the crowd and falling to her knees to reach up and touch the hem of His robe. The miraculous healing and acceptance of Christ was the good news for her that day. The good news for us, is that our invisible God gives us a visible point of contact but it is often only found in the lowest of places. When we are ready and willing to kneel down to touch the hem of His garment He will pass by and give us a visible point of contact to His invisible power and grace!

Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble James 4:6 

Point of Contact

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And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. Matthew 9:20 NJKVP1040067

There was only one hem on the garment of Christ. In fact when the soldiers went to divide his clothing they gambled for His outer garment because it was all on piece. The only hem available for the woman to touch was at the very lowest point of the robe of Jesus Christ. Like this woman in the crowd our own needs may have dominated our focus for years. Friends, family, and even her ability to enter a place or worship all were affected by her need until that day as Jesus was passing by in the crowd. We are not told if she had listened to Jesus’ words herself or if she had simply believed what others had told her about him. What we do know is that the message she had heard about Jesus Christ was enough for her to determine that she would do anything to get to Him. The power of her need for that one single moment had no ability to prevent her from pressing through the crowd in order to fall to her knees and reach up and touch the hem of His robe. The good news for us is that our invisible God gives us a visible point of contact in the lowest of places. When we are willing and hearts are humbled He may pass by to give us a visible connection to His invisible power and grace!

But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud,But gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6 NJKV