Christian Living

---

“And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.”
Each of us has at least heard of the healing of this woman. However, whether we have truly grasped the message embedded within the account is questionable. This woman suffered many years of her infirmity before deliverance came. But we must recognize the intensity of her condition to appreciate the miracle of her healing.
The Bible states this woman had an issue of blood twelve long years. According to Jewish law, a woman with this condition is considered unclean. This means everything and everyone who touched her was unclean.
“And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean. Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation. And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.” She was a castaway.
Because of this condition it is likely she did not bear fruit. She was barren. In her condition she used all of her substance seeking a cure. She was poor. Though she had tried everything she could not be healed. She was tired.
When this woman heard Jesus was near she defied the law. She exercised boldness in her pursuit of Jesus. She fought her way through those who may have believed they had a right to be near Jesus and in her desperation stretched forth her hand and touch the hem of the Lord’s clothes. Immediately, Jesus felt virtue or power leave from Him. This woman literally pulled her healing from the Lord through faith. Afterward, Jesus asked who touched Him and all those who “thronged” Him denied touching Him.
Everyone one of those who were in the crowd pressing in towards the Lord, handling Him and following Him had the same opportunity as this woman. Considering the number of people who were present it is likely someone else touched the Lord also but when this woman, who had no right to be there, reached out in faith and touched Jesus, power left from out of Him. Understand when she handled Jesus, according the law, He should have become unclean. Don’t think for a minute that Jesus didn’t know the law because He was there to fulfill it. But what the law could never do Jesus accomplished. “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ”
Many of us who “follow Jesus” never truly touch Him. We blend in a crowd of people and focus on our legalistic belief as to who has the right to come near Jesus. We pride ourselves on the limited amount of scripture we understand and we rally around the Lord thinking it’s enough. However, the only touch the Lord feels, the touch He receives, the touch that gets results is the touch of faith. We confess we believe but we sometimes fail in putting our faith in action. We debate over whether the Lord still moves like He used to. We ponder over whether His Spirit manifests Himself like He used to but we have yet to ask. Have I touched Him in faith like I used to?

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE