THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 5:26-34
“Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” (Mark 5:34)
This woman’s faith was not a set of beliefs about God or Jesus.
Her faith was not a clear or certain knowledge of Who Jesus was.
It was a desperate hope, based on what she was seeing or hearing from others.
She saw something in Jesus that inspired hope, and she reached for it.
We have made Jesus hard to reach with our doctrines and policies.
You do not need to pass a doctrinal test to encounter Jesus and His love.
There IS something in Jesus that inspires hope, and we need to help people see it.
We need to make Him accessible, so that they can take their first step.
This is not dumbing down Jesus, but meeting Jesus where He meets us.
This is the whole point of the incarnation, God becoming human, to meet us where we are.
He does not leave us there, He takes our hand and leads us deeper and further in.
Our simple, imperfect first step toward Jesus is enough.
He still assures me, despite my weak and struggling faith: “Your faith has healed you!”
Jesus is not here to make me cower in fear, or to test me to see if my faith is worthy.
He looks at me, just as I am, and says “Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I am like this woman. Weak, feeling unworthy yet reaching out in desperate hope. May I experience Your peace, Your freedom, Your healing today.
You wear a crown Norm
Observation/Application
We also have health issues today. We just visited a man who has cancer. Like the woman, we look for healing and will do anything – doctors, change in diet, homeopath, etc We desire to be whole and investigate and try all ways for the cure.
The woman was ‘unclean’ in Jesus’ time and all those who touched her also became unclean – those she bumped into and those she touched on purpose like Jesus. But Jesus did not become unclean but cleaned her condition and made her whole. Jesus lives among His people and His dwelling within us makes us clean, whole. We can’t steal healing from Jesus but we can go forward in trust and faith that He is the answer. He is the great physician. At times He takes the disease from us and other times He releases us from our disease.
Today is a new day to walk with Him. Lord help me this day to walk in Your SonShine.
Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need Thy tender care;
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use Thy folds prepare.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.
We are Thine, Thou dost befriend us, be the guardian of our way;
Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us, seek us when we go astray.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Hear, O hear us when we pray.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Hear, O hear us when we pray.