Touching Heaven
“As Jesus was on His way, the crowds almost crushed Him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind Him and touched the edge of His cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. ‘Who touched Me?’ Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, ‘Master, the people are crowding and pressing against You.’ But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched Me; I know that power has gone out from Me.’ Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at His feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched Him and how she had been instantly healed. Then He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.’’’
Luke 8:42-48 (NIV)
Perhaps no one felt the rejection and exclusion from others as much as this woman Luke tells us about in Luke 8:42-48. For 12 long years, she had suffered from a condition that left her untouchable! Her physical infirmity labeled her “unclean” in her culture. If anyone came in contact with her, they, too, would be considered unclean. She lived in desperation and isolation! Imagine living without the touch of another human being. She had tried everything and spent all her resources, but it only got worse.
Doing her best to remain hidden, she pressed through the crowds to get to Jesus with the hope that this miracle worker she had heard about may do a miracle for her. Luke tells us that she came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of His cloak. What faith! She was reaching out to touch heaven! And the Bible says that she was healed immediately! Heaven broke through to earth! There’s no sickness in heaven! She was made whole! Her life would never be the same! When heaven breaks through, our lives are changed! We are made whole! What a miracle! But this wasn’t the end of her story. There was more to the miracle that Jesus would do for her than she could have even imagined! I love this part of the story!
“‘Who touched Me?’ Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, ‘Master, the people are crowding and pressing against You.’ But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched Me; I know that power has gone out from Me.’” Luke 8:45-46 (NIV) Jesus was calling her out. He knew who touched Him. So why did he ask? He was giving her the opportunity to come out of the isolation and rejection she had lived in for over twelve years. Imagine the fear she must have felt? In her culture, even though she had been healed, she was still considered unclean, and it was unlawful for her to touch anyone. Hoping she may get in and get out unnoticed, Jesus stops everyone to identify the one who touched Him. Luke says, “Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed came trembling and fell at His feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched Him and how she had been instantly healed.” Luke 8:47 (NIV)
Jesus is the great noticer! Even His disciples failed to notice the woman and the miracle in their midst. The crowd failed to notice her. They had their own agenda. They didn’t care about her, but God did! She could not go unnoticed by Christ! He saw her, just as He sees you and me today. He is the noticer! She wasn’t just a face in the crowd. She had reached out to touch heaven and heaven touched her! Look at what Jesus says to her. “Then He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.’” Luke 8:48 (NIV) Jesus called her “daughter!” She wasn’t some obscure unclean, unnoticed woman. She was a daughter of the King! She may have feared being rebuked as an unclean subject for touching this miracle worker, but it was as if He intentionally called her out to say there is no one so unclean that they cannot reach out and touch Me!
Her determination to press through the crowd that day and touch heaven paid off. Jesus not only healed her, but He restored her and connected her to the family of God. She had a new identity with dignity. She was a daughter of the most High God and part of His forever family! She would not only be connected with Him but with other Christ followers as well, never to be isolated and alone again!
What about you? Have you felt so unclean that you couldn’t even approach God, fearful of being noticed by Him or anyone around you? This woman’s story is a story of grace. It’s our story as well. We are all unclean, yet never so unclean that we cannot reach out and touch heaven. When you do, your life will never be the same! You too can experience His cleansing, healing power. You too may connect with His forever family and come out of isolation and fear. That’s why the church exists today!
Take the first step toward healing by reaching out to heaven. Ask Jesus to forgive you and cleanse you of sin. He will save you. He will accept you into His forever family! Then connect with other Christ followers who’ve experienced that same grace. We invite you to join us for lunch and check out membership with the Woodlands Church Family at our Membership Class this Sunday, April 21st, following the 11:30am worship service at any one of our campuses or online for those who may not be able to attend in person. You can register now.
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.