“When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet… When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak.” (Mark 5:22,27)
A religious leader and a bleeding woman, both coming to Jesus.
According to the law, this woman was unclean, untouchable (Leviticus 15:19).
But at this moment, both of them are alike in their desperation.
Sickness and death level the playing field for all of us.
We all stand equal before the curse, and equally need help.
The good news is we also stand equally before Jesus and the cross.
Two thousand years after this event, and our world is still divided.
Inequality and injustice divide us into camps and categories.
Who are the social elite today, who are the social outcasts today?
As different and divided as we may seem to be, we have something in common.
As far as God is concerned, I am not better or worse than you, or anyone.
What unites us is our desperate need (whether we realize it or not).
And Jesus is accessible to all of us.
We can fall at His feet and plead for help, we can reach out to touch Him by faith.
“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:32)
“Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.” (Colossians 3:11)
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, help me to see others as my equals, as my brothers and sisters in need like me. Bring to mind specific people that I view differently, and impress on my heart our oneness before You.
Observations/Application
The woman touched Him. This woman in the society of that day would have been excluded for everything because she would have been unclean. When healed she did not run away and when Jesus asked who had touched Him she came forward.
The healing of the Jarius’ daughter was witnessed by a small group of people. Others laughed in disbelief. Both women were healed – the one had the issue for 12 years and the other was just twelve years old. Christ didn’t hestitate to bring healing. He crossed the boundaries of the day.
Do we/I?
What separates us today – gender, race, sexual orientation, politics, ethnicity . . . must I/we also not cross the boundaries to give life giving meaning – Jesus saves.
We have heard the joyful sound: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Spread the tidings all around: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Bear the news to every land, climb the mountains, cross the waves;
Onward! ’tis our Lord’s command; Jesus saves! Jesus saves!