Belonging - Day 2
Mark 5:27-29
27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. 28 For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately, the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.
This woman approaches Jesus from behind him. Most people approached Jesus from the front to grab his attention and to ask for healing. This woman is cautious and hesitant, perhaps because her condition makes her ceremonially unclean. Also, it might have been the only way this woman could approach Jesus because of the crowd around him.
Her faith was such that she did not demand an interaction with Jesus, but she knew that his power was such that if she simply touched the hem of his robe, she would be healed. This is pretty significant faith! It also speaks to the way that she felt about herself. At this point in her life, after 12 years of this particular issue, she would have been pretty concerned about whether or not she would be accepted in society (Hint: she would not), about whether she would be rejected from the crowd (Hint: She would be dismissed). The only question in her mind might have been whether Jesus would reject her or not. By simply touching his robe, she might not have also experienced rejection from Jesus. Perhaps she could simply “steal” some of his power without him noticing.
As she touches his robe, it is reported that the healing occurs immediately. There is no waiting for a pronouncement, acceptance, or mitigating circumstances. Instead, she was healed, and she could feel the healing immediately throughout her body.
The fact she has been bleeding for 12 years is significant in the literature of Israel due to the 12 tribes. As well, the immediate following story is of Jarius’ daughter, who was twelve years old. These numbers should not be lost on us as they were trying to tell a story to the Hebrews that they would understand. This kind of literary device includes more people reading and understanding the text.
But what does it do for you? What are you learning from this particular story?
We cut the text at just the point where she was being healed, and so this is the moment of the reversal in her life. She was about to be re-introduced into her society, her family, and into the community that rejected her due to her issue with blood.
We are on the precipice of the change that we are all looking for when it comes to being healed by Jesus.
27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. 28 For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately, the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.
This woman approaches Jesus from behind him. Most people approached Jesus from the front to grab his attention and to ask for healing. This woman is cautious and hesitant, perhaps because her condition makes her ceremonially unclean. Also, it might have been the only way this woman could approach Jesus because of the crowd around him.
Her faith was such that she did not demand an interaction with Jesus, but she knew that his power was such that if she simply touched the hem of his robe, she would be healed. This is pretty significant faith! It also speaks to the way that she felt about herself. At this point in her life, after 12 years of this particular issue, she would have been pretty concerned about whether or not she would be accepted in society (Hint: she would not), about whether she would be rejected from the crowd (Hint: She would be dismissed). The only question in her mind might have been whether Jesus would reject her or not. By simply touching his robe, she might not have also experienced rejection from Jesus. Perhaps she could simply “steal” some of his power without him noticing.
As she touches his robe, it is reported that the healing occurs immediately. There is no waiting for a pronouncement, acceptance, or mitigating circumstances. Instead, she was healed, and she could feel the healing immediately throughout her body.
The fact she has been bleeding for 12 years is significant in the literature of Israel due to the 12 tribes. As well, the immediate following story is of Jarius’ daughter, who was twelve years old. These numbers should not be lost on us as they were trying to tell a story to the Hebrews that they would understand. This kind of literary device includes more people reading and understanding the text.
But what does it do for you? What are you learning from this particular story?
We cut the text at just the point where she was being healed, and so this is the moment of the reversal in her life. She was about to be re-introduced into her society, her family, and into the community that rejected her due to her issue with blood.
We are on the precipice of the change that we are all looking for when it comes to being healed by Jesus.
- Have you ever been in this same situation?
- Have you ever been healed by Jesus?
- What does healing look like for you today?
- How are you feeling? Do you feel like you might not belong?
No Comments