EMPOWERING LIVES WITH PURPOSE:
Reading in the gospel of Mark about the hemorrhaging women, I thought wow, how her example could teach us how to find Jesus in our pain. This woman had some strong faith.
The story of how she bled for 12 straight years is a teaching not many will forget once they read it. Can you imagine, back in biblical times, bleeding without stopping? The ridicule, the unclean casting out, the embarrassing shame, it all had to bring tremendous hardship, not to mention cleaning herself.
It’s assumed that this was a menstrual flow for these 12 long years, but it’s not for certain. In any way, it meant constant suffering and weakness and possibly depression. Try putting yourself in her shoes for only a moment and think about this.
For us, with modern medicine, it could be exhausting and debilitating, but I can’t even imagine living like this back then, can you?
She was considered unclean, and anything or anyone who touched her was considered “unclean” back then, not to mention her clothes and her utensils, and her home. Washing clothes and bathing back then was not easy. It meant she had to be isolated and alone while she bled and was constantly working to take care of herself alone. What pain she endured for 12 long years!
This bleeding woman heard of Jesus and wanted to find Him. She had the strongest faith that “if I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.” She believed all she suffered in her body would end by reaching to Jesus and just touching the hem of His garment.
That’s faith. Strong faith.
And what happened because of it?
Amidst pushing, shoving, and embarrassment of herself, she made her way up to Jesus in the crowd as her desperation propelled her forward.
She came up behind Jesus, reached out in a struggle, and touched His garment. And the bible tells us INSTANTLY Jesus knew her faith. But yet very interesting, He asked, “who touched me?”
She answered Him. She didn’t beg and plead with Him to heal her. She answered Him and fell at His feet. It was enough that she believed and had faith. That was her miracle.
Jesus answered her, saying, “Daughter, your faith has healed you.”
Do we believe we can find Jesus in our pain right now? Whatever it is? Do we believe and have the strongest faith that He can heal us from our issue, whatever it is?
We need to. This kind of faith is what brings about healing.