The Touch Encounter

My husband and I recently traveled to Israel on a Pilgrimage. Nine wonderful days touring the Holy Land, all where the Bible came alive. On one of our stops, we visited the Duc in altum (Go out to the deep) which was in the hometown of Mary Magdalene in Magdala. We went downstairs into the Encounter Chapel on the lower level, the floor was to be the original of that time. As we walked into the room, I was taken aback by the magnificent painting representing the moment the women from Mark 5:25-29 reached out to touch Jesus for healing.

“When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake and a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.” Mark 5: 25-29 NIV

The artist, Daniel Cariola, did an amazing job of capturing this moment, it was a powerfully moving experience and one of my favorites of the journey. This stop focused on the women of our group, especially those that were seeking the Lord for healing. We joined together in the middle of the room and circled tight around those in deep need of a touch from our Lord, one of our ladies spoke powerfully of her own healing from Cancer and lead prayer over the group. To say that we knew that we had an encounter with the Lord of our own is an understatement. The other astonishing thing about this stop, it should have been teaming with busloads of visitors, yet we had this place to ourselves for almost an hour. A gift from above having opportunity for uninterrupted worship, praise, and prayer.

A reminder of the power of art has to retell a story to bring the viewer into the pages of the Bible. The Lord indeed works through many ways to reach His people.

For more information about Magdala click here: Duc in altum – Magdala Tourist Center