“She had heard the reports about
Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said
‘If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well.’” Mark 5:27, 28 RSV
There is a Bible story that I especially relate to because it is about a woman who suffered with “female” problems and she exhibited a faith like I want to have. For twelve years she had suffered a hemorrhage of blood. In the Jewish society, this made her unclean, untouchable. So besides being sick, weak and in constant pain, she was very lonely. She had spent a lot of money on doctors looking for healing and they had only made her worse. She had tried everything the world had to offer, but had found no relief. Then, she heard about the miracles of Jesus and hope surged through her giving her the strength to go and find Jesus.
When she arrived, there was a throng of people around Jesus and she followed them from place to place. I’m sure she began to despair of ever speaking to Him, but her faith took over and she believed that if she could just touch his garment she would be healed. She reached out and just barely touched the border of Jesus’ robe and instantly the flow of blood stopped--she was healed!
Jesus felt the healing power leave His body, He turned and asked, “Who touched me?” The disciples were incredulous. With all the people pressing around how would Jesus even notice? But this was a different touch, a touch of faith that had resulted in healing. When He heard her story, Jesus said “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, healed of your disease.”
Our problems may not be physical, perhaps they are mental, emotional, or relational. It doesn’t matter what label you give them. How many times do we try all that the world offers? We go to doctors or therapists. We buy self-help books. We talk to friends and anyone else who will listen. We do Internet searches. We contact church prayer chains. All of these things are good and necessary of themselves. The problem is that so many times we try what the world offers before we give our problems to Jesus.
The only way to true healing and peace is to reach out in faith and place our needs in the hands of Jesus. We must press through the crowd of the world and touch Jesus. By putting aside all the distractions of our modern times and spending time with Jesus every daily.
Lord, help me to remember turn to You first
and to put my faith in You. For I want to be healed and to live in Your peace.
© 2002 ~Judy Shewmake