Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-49
This blog post is an excerpt from the booklet entitled, "Women of the Bible" - Volume 1.
It is written as if this woman is sharing her heart directly with the reader.
Thank you for allowing the author to use poetic license throughout this article
while seeking to stay true to the Biblical account of this woman's life.
And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: ~ Matthew 9:20
My story is mentioned in the Bible but I am unnamed. That is fine with me because I have always been accustomed to being identified by my condition instead of as a person with real feelings and a whole lot of faith. This story is not about me anyway. It’s about the One Who set me free. You see, I was desperate for healing. I had been to the doctors in my region but to no avail. I had spent all that I had and was none the better. As a matter of fact, I was growing worse. No earthly physician could offer me hope. My private affliction became a matter of public record. I was at the end of myself when someone told me about a "Healer." But the great thing from the testimonies I heard was He was not only able to heal the body but He could also save the soul. I had to risk it all for the chance to get close enough just to touch Him. His name: Jesus.
I would like to share more of my story with you. I suffered with a chronic illness called an issue of blood. This isolated me from others. This was not just for a short time. It had lasted 12 long years. I was weak, pale, sickly. In my day, this condition was not only undesirable, but it labeled those in its control as unclean. As a matter of fact, the book of Leviticus records how I was to be treated. If someone touched me, they had to immediately bathe themselves and wash their clothes.
Can you imagine the stigma? Can you imagine my fear and anxiety? Would this be how I was to live out the rest of my days?
Then, into my village, walks a Man with an unbelievable amount of followers. A huge crowd forms. This must be the "Healer!" I hovered at the edge of the crowd. Nobody noticed as I melted into the throng of bodies. Everyone wanted to see this Man from Galilee. My shame faded, replaced by a rush of relief. For once, no one had prevented me from joining in. No one had recoiled at my touch or even at my very existence.
I pressed in closer, but my view was blocked. Above the crowd, I heard Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, raising his voice above all the others. He was pleading with Jesus to come with him and heal his daughter before it was too late.
Suddenly, I found an opening in the crowd. This was my chance! But, I could not reach Him! I did not want to draw attention to myself. In a final prayer of faith, I said to myself, “If I may touch but His clothes, I shall be whole.” I followed behind Him reaching as far as I could but managed only to touch the hem of His garment. Had I failed? There, in the midst of the crowd, I stood still.
My disappointment suddenly changed to strength. Instantly I felt in my body that I was clean from this plague! He healed me! I will go home quietly and share the news with my family. I must tell the doctors who will now have to declare me cured. Finally I can return to my healthy life again! But wait…suddenly…Jesus silences the crowd with a curious question: “Who touched Me?”
“Who touched Him? He must be joking!” voices murmured. “People are pushing and shoving each other just to get near Him!” Even the disciples were rushing him away to get to Jarius’ daughter.
I heard the disciples say the multitude had pressed in and how could anyone answer this question? But among all the people, Jesus knew that I was the only one who had touched Him in faith.
He spoke again saying, “Somebody hath touched Me: for I perceive virtue is gone out of Me.” There was nowhere for me to hide. Trembling, I fell at His beautiful feet. There I testified that I was the one who touched His garment. I was unclean. I had the plague called an issue of blood. Yet with one touch, immediately, I was healed!
After 12 long years of suffering, I finally found peace and freedom not at the hands of men but at the feet of Jesus. Instead of scolding and shaming me for my condition and how I could have endangered Him and the entire crowd, Jesus lovingly spoke to me. He addressed me not as a sinner but by calling out, “Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole. Go in peace.”
My new identity will always be: “Daughter.” Jesus had not only healed my body, but His virtue healed my soul. Now I am forever one of His own.
My story of faith would be used to identify those who were healed by Jesus and set free from their sins. The Bible says in Matthew 14:35-36, “And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; and besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.”
Lessons we can learn from this lady’s story:
* The glory of Christ is that He succeeds where others fail. What man cannot do, Jesus can! He offers cleanliness when the heart says it can never be forgiven. He extends comfort when agony is too great to carry. He supplies peace when all around is chaos.
* We need to remember that our concept of healing is not necessarily the same as God's. For some, healing may not take place here on earth but may come as ultimate healing in Heaven. For others, the healing may come through emotional well-being. God can clean up our outlook and give us the hope of Heaven no matter what the plague is in our lives.
* When we try to live the Christian life in our flesh without faith, we will fall short. Only when we reach out for Jesus will we ever know the strength that comes at His nail-scarred feet. His touch will always produce peace and freedom.
* Is there anything about this woman—her suffering, her actions, her healing—that reminds you of yourself? Can you relate to a time when God honored your faith?
* Know that faith is a belief that increases with use (Romans 1:17).
* Confess the tendency to play it so safe. Take a bold step of faith like this Bible woman did. Believe God for a miracle!
* Ask God to bring this woman's story to your mind the next time you are faced with a challenge to exercise real faith.
* Are you a Daughter of the King? Has Jesus washed away your sins with His blood and made you clean? If so, go in peace and be whole. Share your testimony like this woman did. Has this Man named Jesus touched you? Others need to hear your story. Tell them what Jesus has done for you.