Scripture:
Mark 5:25-34 NKJV
[25] Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, [26] and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. [27] When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. [28] For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” [29] Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. [30] And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” [31] But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” [32] And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. [33] But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. [34] And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”
Observation:
The topic that we have landed on is pretty much inexhaustible in my opinion, it’s also a topic that I not only love to write about, but needed to hear myself. I feel like there are times in our lives that our faith needs to be encouraged, and honestly that’s what I hope to do by taking the time to study through this topic. I honestly love the verses the Bible uses to teach us what the word actually means. But as I was praying this morning, I believe this story is where the Holy Spirit wanted me to write from. I believe the action and risk this lady took was intense. So let’s take a good look at who all this went down. We can see through the scripture that this lady was in a tough spot, she had exhausted her entire life savings trying to find an answer that no one could give her. The wisest doctors did nothing, and she was left with no other options. The condition she had was surrounded by laws that would leave her labeled “unclean;” the fact that she was bleeding was no small thing in that time. She was supposed to remain distant. She couldn’t enter the temple, talk to a priest, or even get close to a Jewish teacher. I’m sure the life she had experienced over the last 12 years was very trying. Just a little human contact, a little fellowship, maybe the opportunity to speak to someone who could give her some answers. Finding no one who could give her any answers, the desperation did nothing but grow, but than hearing all the stories about this man named Jesus from Nazareth, HE had healed so many people with just a word or a touch. Maybe, just maybe this is the answer, it was something she was willing to risk. Everything else had failed, leaving her with only one hope. The stories she had heard built a faith inside of her that the desperation tried to steal. I can only imagine the kinds of things that were going through her mind, until she heard about the SAVIOR, “Give up, no one can help you, there is no hope, you will be stuck like this forever,” but then she heard that Jesus was coming through her town, and maybe just maybe this was her opportunity. After all she had heard, the lame were walking, lepers were healed, the blind could now see…. “If I could only touch HIM, no one would have to know… it couldn’t hurt…. Maybe as he passes I will risk it all and reach for the hem of HIS garment, all I would need to do is touch the corner of it, I can do that with no one even seeing me do so. As she saw HIM approaching she positioned herself. It was time, the hope grew, “it’s going to work, I just need to reach for it.” As HE passed she did exactly that. What she didn’t expect was for HIM to know what had happened. It was such a small thing. I didn’t touch HIS skin, just the hem of HIS garment. As HE stopped right where HE was and asked the question, I could almost see her shrink back, but HE would not let her. “Who touched me? I felt the power leave me.” I can see her stepping forward in timidness….. “it was me… i.i.i. didn’t think you would even notice, I’m desperate and needed healing, but all the laws kept me from even talking to you. I just needed healing and I knew that you were the one, nothing else has worked, something deep inside me said just reach for it, so I did.” We all know how this story ends. Words she had waited 12 years to hear were spoken, words she at one point had more than likely given up on ever hearing, until she heard about Jesus, where her hope was restored, “Daughter, your faith has made you well, be healed of your affliction.”
Application:
It’s not just a word that allows us to sit and wait. We will always have to move. I can go through so many scriptures to prove that point. Moses had to step forward and put his rod in the air, Joshua had to march around the city, the Israelites had to keep their eyes fixed on the serpent that had been lifted up. What I’m saying is action needs to be taken, or the sea never parts, the walls never fall, and the healing never takes place. You have to reach for it. Over the last 16 years of study, that is what I see in the Bible. You have to reach for it. Faith is more than just praying, and hoping that something will happen. It’s so much deeper than that. If you truly believe that what you have prayed for will happen you will head in that direction. If you believe that you can walk on water, you will swing your legs over the edge of the boat, if you believe you can be healed by brushing up against HIS garment you will take every risk necessary to make that happen. You will not receive what you believe if you do not take action. GOD is just waiting for you to move, HE is waiting for you to do what you can do naturally so HE can meet you with HIS supper, and you will see something supernatural. HE is not a man that HE can lie … .so here is what I am telling you….. take action. Have you been promised something from GOD’S word? Let me take you back to a moment in the bible. Moses sent some spices into the land to give a report, 10 w were sent, 2 believed what GOD had said, 8 did not. The way they saw themselves was insignificant. Do you remember what they said as a report? “We are but grasshoppers in our own sight.” They did not believe what GOD said. But 2 men did, their report was the truth, and they wanted to take action on what they were told they could have. Although it took another 40 years of wandering in the wilderness…. They took action and experienced everything GOD had said. I’m telling you that you are not waiting on GOD…. HE is waiting on you. HE stands out in your future like a Father teaching HIS child how to walk, “You can do it, just take the step, there is something for your foot to land on, trust me, come on, take the step.” I don’t know where you are on life, I don’t know what you facing, but what I do know is that GOD loves you, and if you keep your eyes fixed on HIM, HE has so much more in-store for you than you can ever imagine, but you will have to believe so much that you reach for it. Only then will you see it come to pass. Get into HIS word and find HIS promises and reach for them regardless of what it looks like. The impossible is possible but it doesn’t happen when you don’t get out of the boat.
Prayer:
Father, my breath is taken away at times by what you tell me, in fact sometimes it’s so hard to believe that we never take action. Father, this morning we want to apologize to you. Our inactivity shows our unbelief, and we are sorry for not believing what you said we can have. This morning we are asking that as we reach for your promises, that you show up and do what only you can do. Let our actions be seen as an act of faith in what you have said. You told us that you are the GOD of more than enough, a land flowing with milk and honey, and we believe that. We believe that you are who you say you are, that you own the cattle on a thousand hills, we believe that you are a healing GOD, a GOD of restoration, and provision, the only one true GOD who has our best interest in mind if we are just willing to reach for it. Today our act of faith is to take action on what you say. We trust that you will not let us down as we reach for you. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus we pray amen.