Tuesday, April 7, 2020

The Woman


Luke 8:42 - 48...But as Jesus went, the people were crowding against Him [almost crushing Him]And a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years [and had spent all her money on physicians], and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His outer robe, and immediately her bleeding stopped.  Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” While they all were denying it, Peter and those who were with him said, “Master, the people are crowding and pushing against You!”  But Jesus said, “Someone did touch Me because I was aware that power [to heal] had gone out of Me.”  When the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came up trembling and fell down before Him. She declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed.  He said to her, “Daughter, your faith [your personal trust and confidence in Me] has made you well. Go in peace (untroubled, undisturbed well-being).
I don't know her name, but I wish I did! There is so much to learn from this determined woman. She had been social distancing for 12 years.  Can you imagine?  She was considered unclean for 12 years. She heard that Jesus was in town and sought Him out.  That is interesting to me.  Jesus knew she was there, after all, He is God, but He waited for her to seek Him.  He didn't go to her, He waited for her to press through the crowd and touch the hem of his garment. I wonder, what is in our lives right now that we need to press through to seek Him? 
When Jesus addresses her, he doesn't ask her "what do you want?" as he did the blind beggar in Mark 10:41.  Why?  Because she already has it!!  She has already been healed she just needed to acknowledge her struggles and her healing. 
Verse 47 says "she had not escaped notice". I looked it up.   In the Greek language, it means she had not escaped being hidden.   He called her out from her hiddenness by having her acknowledge she had touched Him and by voicing what she had struggled with all those years and declaring her healing. Not only was she called out of her hiddenness, but by asking "Who touched me?" Jesus drew the attention of the crowd to her.  Peter even wonders, "Jesus, there is a crowd pushing against you, why would you ask who touched you?"  I think Jesus wanted her free from being invisible to others, free from being viewed as unclean.   Her faith brought about peace.  Untroubled, undisturbed well being.  Peace. 

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