Mark 5:25-29 “And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.”
So….life has been hard lately! You have spent most of your money trying to solve your problems and all it has accomplished is to leave you with no money! In fact instead of seeing things improve, they have only gotten worse. Have you ever felt that way? Has life ever given you a prolonged season where things just seem to go from bad to worse? How did you respond in that time? How are you responding even now? In times such as this ever person has a choice as to how they are going to respond. What will you do? Will you complain, accuse God, or maybe find someone to be the target of your blame and anger? You have a choice!
Mark 5:25-29 is a powerful picture of just such a person. In this passage we find a woman who has been totally spent. She has been sick for twelve years. Her doctors are of no help. Not only have they been of no help but in their attempts to find a cure they have actually caused her great suffering and her condition has only gotten worse. Add to that the fact that the doctors who were of no help took all of her money in payment for the cures that did no good. Now that is adding insult to injury!
Like all of us this woman also had a choice. She was faced with a decision of where she was going to spend her remaining energy, her remaining strength. Many people who find themselves in this type of situation yield to depression or turn to alcohol or some other form of false comfort to ease their mental and physical pain. Not this woman. In her desperate hour she spent her energy turning to God!
There are many important messages in this one little passage if we will but take a look. First of all thank God for the person who took time to tell her about Jesus. The miracle that touches her life in this story begins with the fact that someone took the time to tell her about Jesus. Romans 10:17 says that faith comes from hearing the word of God and it was proven true in this situation. Upon hearing about the mighty miracles that were flowing out of the life of Christ this woman is now filled with faith in the midst of her affliction. Instead of just pushing away another suggested cure like so many people do, she is willing to try once more and reach out to Christ in faith!
She has been moved so deeply by the Holy Spirit as she has heard the testimony about Jesus that she is willing to take a risk. What if she cannot reach Jesus? What if the disciples push her away for her bold presumption? What if she touches Him and nothing happens? The good news of this story is that the faith that has grown in her heart is stronger than the doubts and questions that are attacking her mind to drive her away from her miracle. What about you!? Are the voices of discouragement in your mind speaking to you louder than your faith!? Don’t stop! Press through the crowd like this weary old woman and get a hold of Jesus!
This woman faces her fears and presses into the chaos of the circumstances. She is undeterred by the pressing crowds. She is moved only by the faith that has grown up in her heart as positive confession fills her mind. As she steps out in faith, her focus is on one thing. “If I can only touch Jesus I will be healed.” This is such a powerful image of a heart set firmly in faith. She listens to no other voice but the voice of faith. She yields to no hindering circumstance! Instead she presses through and is rewarded for her faith. Mark 5 says that immediately upon touching Jesus she is healed.
Have you touched Jesus in your hour of need? Have you placed yourself in His presence and pressed through the crowd of distractions that would hinder you with such conviction that nothing else matters but touching God? Let your need drive you into His presence not away from Him. Let your suffering be swallowed up in a vision of a God empowered miracle changing your life forever. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Turn to Him and let your life be healed!
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