Reaching Out to Jesus in Faith
“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. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, ‘Who touched My clothes?’ ‘You see the people crowding against You,’ His disciples answered, ‘and yet You can ask, ‘Who touched Me?’ But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at His feet and, trembling with fear, told Him the whole truth. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’” Mark 5:25-34 (NIV)
Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record this miracle of Jesus in their gospel narratives. What an impression it must have made on each of them. It’s interesting to me that Luke, who was a physician, said “… no one could heal her.” Luke 8:43 (NIV) while Mark says, “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.” Mark 5:26 (NIV) It seems that medical expenses are nothing new.
The woman had been in this condition for twelve years. Twelve years of suffering with no hope in sight. In desperation, she turned to the only one left, a miracle worker, who she had heard about that could heal any disease. Jesus’ power must be real, she thought, especially when she saw the synagogue leader, Jarius, falling at His feet pleading for Him to come to his home and heal his dying daughter. Having spent all her money on physicians only to get worse, she needed a miracle! She needed a power greater than man to overcome the obstacle in her life. She needed a Mighty God! As she quietly pushed her way through the crowd, Mark tells us what happened: “She had heard all about the wonderful miracles Jesus did, and that is why she came up behind Him through the crowd and touched His clothes. For she thought to herself, ‘If I can just touch His clothing, I will be healed.’ And sure enough, as soon as she had touched Him, the bleeding stopped and she knew she was well!” Mark 5:27-29 (TLB)
Wow! Only a Mighty God could pull off a miracle like that! He gives us the power to overcome even when we feel overcome by the obstacles and problems in our lives! In fact, every problem has a purpose. Every obstacle is an opportunity for God to show Himself mighty to save, to break through the barriers in our lives that block His blessing. Knowing this changes our perspective on problems. I love the way Eugene Peterson paraphrases Jesus words in The Message: "You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and His rule.” Matthew 5:3 (MSG)
Are you feeling at the end of your rope? You’re actually in a good place Jesus says. When we reach out to Jesus in faith rather than trying to control everything ourselves and stressing out, we can experience His peace and power to overcome our biggest obstacle. But that’s not all Jesus would do for this poor woman. He would also give her the power to overcome her greatest fear and her deepest hurt. According to the Law in her day, she was considered ceremonially unclean. Everyone and everything she touched became ceremonially unclean, so this woman would have been ostracized by the entire community, including her family. She was even prohibited from going to the Synagogue to worship. Mark tells us that when she touched Jesus’ clothes, “At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, ‘Who touched My clothes?’” It must have been frightening for her. What would happen? What would Jesus do? She just wanted to get in and get out without being noticed. Despite the crowds pressing in on Jesus, He knew someone had touched Him and He felt a release of healing power. Can you imagine her fear when Jesus asked, “Who touched me?” Only Jesus and the woman knew. The crowd and even the disciples didn’t realize that a miracle had taken place in their midst. Without any fanfare or even a word being spoken, Jesus knows and responds when one of His children reaches out to Him in faith. Mark tells us the rest of the story: “Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at His feet and, trembling with fear, told Him the whole truth. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’”
This woman experienced the perfect love of Jesus. It would drive out all her fears and replace them with peace. What about you? What is your greatest fear? Isn’t it time to drop it at the feet of Jesus?