“As Jesus went with him, He was surrounded by the crowds. A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of His robe, Immediately the bleeding stopped.”
As a human being we are rarely, if ever, in the unguarded presence of anyone. Our proverbial “guard” is always up, either literally or figuratively, and, truthfully, often with good reason.
In the climate of today’s world, we’re never quite sure what someone’s intentions might be when they approach us. As I got out of my car in a parking lot recently, I was immediately presented with the presence of a small, apparently homeless person, I couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman. The thought came to me that I should check around me to see if this small person was sent to distract me while another person came up behind me. It’s just the skepticism with which we live in today’s world.
That incident caused me to think of how the Disciples must have guarded and sought to protect Jesus. In the reference above, there were likely hundreds, if not thousands of people milling around, trying to get their hands on Jesus, which had become the nature of His ministry in that season.
But one of whom no one took notice, made her way to Jesus, not to harm Him in any way, but to simply touch the hem of His outer garment. When she did, the result of her touch accomplished her wildest dream: she was completely healed! Not just her body – her heart, mind and soul as well! But of all the hundreds present, only two people even noticed – the woman who’d been dealing with “constant bleeding” for 12 years, and, of course, Jesus.
We know very little about her, but enough to know she was “invisible” to everyone but Jesus. In His holy, unguarded presence she found the answer to the problem with which she’d struggled for all those years. Then the Holy Spirit gave her an idea, an idea not unlike the one He gave me and, perhaps, you at some strategic point in your life.
He whispered to her, “Go see Jesus!” In all likelihood she rarely, if ever, ventured out. For one, she was drained, too weak to hardly move, let alone walk any distance. But even when she dared, she was met with such derision and unkindness she’d learned to stay away from people.
But not today! Somehow, she’d heard Jesus would be passing by, and that was enough to enable her to muster courage she’d forgotten she had. So, with borrowed energy she forced each painful step to make her way toward her only Hope. Then the crowd! What to do? Should she turn back, just forgetting the crazy idea she’d dared believe possible?
“NO!” became the desperate cry of her heart as in my mind’s eye, I see her plowing through anyone in her way until finally, with her last ounce of energy, she lunged at the Master, barely touching the hem of His robe as she landed. But she knew! Even as she lay in the street, with dozens stepping on or over her. She knew! And so did her Friend, Jesus.
While others ignored her the only One whose opinion of her mattered, sought her with resolute conviction: “Who touched Me?” The disciples thought He’d lost His mind, but He knew exactly for whom He was looking! By this time, she was on her feet and when their eyes met, He knew He’d found the one He sought.
But that’s not the end of this beautiful story. You see, He’s also looking for YOU, my lost, lonely, seeming forgotten friend, He’s searching for YOU! He’s responding to the longings of your crippled heart, the silent cries no one has heard but Him. Please don’t run away. Embrace His cries and be healed, as certainly as the woman with her repulsive constant bleeding.
Please come to Him today and let your broken heart and crippled spirit be healed.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 