While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live." 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. 20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21 For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well." 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour. Matthew 9:18-22
"Faith to Touch the Hem of His Garment"
Matthew, Mark and Luke record for us this remarkable sudden interruption in the life of Jesus of the lady with the blood issue. Jesus is talking to John's disciples about fasting when a ruler approaches Jesus whose daughter has died. Jesus is leaving with the ruler and suddenly bursting upon the scene is this woman whose faith is so uncharacteristic of our time. She reaches out merely to touch the hem of His garment
We learn so much about faith from this woman. We learn from other scriptures that she had been fighting this for twelve years but nothing worked. She was in despair! Having tried all resources she was left to the realm of faith. Does this not sound like many we know whose “last resort” is faith?
In Jesus she felt the sense of an all conquering power. She believed that He had the resources that could make her whole again. Her faith allowed her to discover those resources that are available through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. She believed with all her heart that somehow these resources of healing were for her. And even though she was unimportant (Jesus talking with a ruler of the synagogue) and obscure she wanted His help!
Faith has and knows no barriers. To place barriers upon our faith is really not faith but sight. As this woman approached Jesus there were no barriers to hinder Him from loving her. The woman's need was private, only Jesus would understand. It is His love that we want when the world says, "Leave us alone!" and Christian friends coldly say, "You think you have problems..." Jesus loves and cares like no one else. His love draws us to Him. No person in need ever interfered with Jesus' ministry, even today!
This woman's faith also brings to us another fact of faith. We can go to Jesus just as we are. This woman had no other choice but to come to Jesus just as she was. According to Levitical law she was unclean. (Leviticus 15:25-27) For 12 long years this woman had no life. She was not allowed to take part in worship. She could not visit with neighbors and friends in fear she might make them unclean. Even family life was to be lived at a distant. She wanted to have her life back.
She felt ashamed. Shame is the great isolator of people in need. Lots of people are lonely in their shame...the mother of the drug addict, the wife of the alcoholic, the man addicted to pornography. This was a great step of faith for this woman. What if Jesus refused to see her? I believe she thought this, and thus sought to only touch the hem of His garment without being noticed. She came to Jesus by faith to be healed.
We've gathered the notion that we must somehow first make things right, or clean ourselves up, and even make ourselves worthy, before coming to Jesus. But He calls for us to come to Him just as we are. And by our faith we are ushered into His presence, to receive His love, His touch of healing. It is His touch that makes us whole. That's how this woman came to Jesus.
Scripture to Claim:
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2
