Devotional Day 20

Scripture

Mark 5:25-34

And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.

Devotional

This account of Jesus’ healing a woman who had been suffering an illness for 12 years is so powerful. We read that she…”had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.” This woman was desperate, she had tried everything to get well, and yet she was left worse off!

It’s such a heartbreaking story that is all to familiar - someone suffering with no ability to change their situation, no matter how many doctors they see, no matter how much money they spend, no matter what they do their affliction just gets worse. And for this woman, her particular illness had also caused her to become an outcast to her people as she had become ‘unclean’. To be unclean in Jewish law meant that anyone who touched her immediately became unclean themselves and had to ceremonially cleanse themselves. Because of this, on top of already dealing with so much, this woman also had to deal with an immense amount of shame and isolation every day.

In her unavoidable predicament she heard that Jesus was coming through town, and this woman who had tried everything, was desperate to have an encounter with Jesus because she knew that if she could just touch the hem of his garment she could be made well. What faith! What amazing faith.

When people have been through difficulty and suffering to this degree they either become cynical and jaded, or humbled and desperate. This woman was the latter. Filled with faith, that was not frail as her body was, she braved the shame of a crowd shouting out ‘unclean’ as she brushed by, and made a beeline for Jesus. She got to him, touched his garment and was instantly healed. Her faith, humility and desperation drove her to an encounter with Jesus, who immediately healed her, and also restored her dignity in the presence of the people who rejected her day after day.

Jesus can do the same for you. Maybe you also have tried everything. Maybe you too are at the end of yourself. No idea where to turn or what to do next, maybe you feel like you’ve tried everything and now you are here, pursuing Jesus, disregarding the shame and you too are filled with faith that Christ can make you well, healing you of the pain and that’s been clinging onto you for so long. What faith! How much this pleases the Lord. Be encouraged that your hope will not see you put to shame. Keep pursuing Jesus, pushing through the crowd and contend, even though it’s humbling, for Jesus to make you well too. For it is the humble who are exalted.

Prayer

Spend time today coming to Jesus in faith that he can restore you completely.