The impact of your devotional life is so much more than the edge.

Today may be the same as every other day in that you will carry out certain spiritual disciplines. You will talk to God; you will worship Him and as you listen to a song you perhaps will sing and you will read the Bible and maybe you will meditate on a certain verse. You will do this on your own the majority of the time and some will carry out these disciplines with another or in a group.

Though you may feel even less significant than the very small context of your spiritual discipline you do it because of this strong desire to connect with God. It may not happen every single time in the same impactful way because after all this is a discipline. Yet there have been many times in your experience when you realise that this practice is so much more than a prayer, a song and a reading.

Sometimes the small things that we do carry the most powerful moments. They become more than the edge.

“When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognised Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all who were ill to him and begged him to let those who were ill just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.” (Matthew 14 v 34-36)

According to the instruction to Moses (Numbers 15) the Israelite men were to wear tunics that would act as prayer shawls. At each corner of the tunic there were tassels tied into 613 knots to symbolise the 613 laws of Moses. Everyone could see them and the man would have to be careful to keep those laws. Every day the man knew he was carrying the Word of God in his life. They also spoke of the man’s authority. In the Old Testament story of David cutting off a piece of Saul’s robe we see the reason why David was so upset for the action was because he felt he had stolen Saul’s authority. This would humiliate Saul and David was annoyed with himself (2 Samuel 24). Finally the edges of the cloak were also seen as what was referred to by Malachi “… the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in His wings.” (Malachi 4) The word ‘wings’ is a translated word for the edges of the wing. The man knew that symbolically the edge of his cloak was a picture of the power of God.

It is so much more than the edge of his cloak!

In your spiritual discipline today you reach out in faith to the Word, to His identity that Jesus is God. You are stating that you believe in Him.

In your spiritual discipline today you reach out in faith to His authority, that there is no one higher than Him. He is the King of Kings. All things are held together by Him.

In your spiritual discipline today you reach out in faith to His power. There is no need which is impossible for Him. He can do this.

The people at Gennesaret had understood the principle. It is not just the edge, it is so much more. Reach out again today to His identity, authority and power: this is the true impact of your spiritual daily discipline which is so much more than the edge.