“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 sais, 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” (Luke 8:43-48).
As Jesus traveled about, throngs of people followed him. These people needed the Great Physician. They had heard of His miraculous healings. One such person was a woman who had “an issue of blood twelve years.” Sadly, this meant she was deemed ceremonially
unclean and could not go to the synagogue to worship. She had gone to many doctors, spending everything she had to find a cure to no avail. Though Luke’s account doesn’t mention this, her condition was getting worse. She was reaching the end of her rope. She was so desperate. Her last hope was to somehow fight the crowd and get to Jesus. I picture her almost being trampled in the crowd. The closest she got to Jesus was to reach out and touch the hem of His garment. Little did she ever realize that would be all it took for her miracle. Why would Jesus ask the question, “Who touched me?’ The NIV Study Bible has this to say about the question Jesus posed after the woman touched His garment. “For the woman’s good and for a testimony for the crowd, Jesus insisted that the miracle be made known.” The disciples were puzzled and told Jesus it had to be the press of the crowd. Then Jesus mentioned that He knew somebody touched Him because He felt “healing power” leave Him. That could only mean one thing.
What that was, will soon be revealed. Back to our story. Verse 47 continues with the woman’s admission that she was the one who touched Jesus’ garment. She revealed she was “healed immediately.” Her “trembling” calmed when Jesus spoke unto her and called her, “Daughter.” It was her faith and the willingness to take a risk to reach out to Him that brought her healing. She was healed physically and spiritually. She was once called “unclean,” but now she was Ms. Complete.
Sue Winchester
Missouri
PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Fernando and Reyna Bustamante, (Joint Project Home Missionaries with FWBHM and the South Carolina Mission Board) working in Effingham, South Carolina. The burden of their heart is to plant Hispanic Free Will Baptist churches within this state, specifically in the Florence and Myrtle Beach areas. Their daughter Mayan is working alongside them in this project.
