Healed

April 9

Deuteronomy 15-16

Psalm 43

Proverbs 10:25-27

Luke 8:40-56

Healed

“And He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace.’”  Luke 8:48 LSB

This woman had been subject to bleeding for 12 years.  She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent everything she had, but instead of being healed, her condition had gotten worse.  We are not told what medical condition this woman had, likely because they did not know what it was.  Basically this poor woman had experienced a menstrual period for 12 years straight.  The continual loss of blood would have made her weak and exhausted and in constant pain.  In addition to the physical problems caused by her condition, she would have experienced significant social, economic and emotional difficulties.  Jewish law was very clear regarding menstrual cycles.  Women were considered unclean during this time of the month.  Anything and anyone who touched them was also considered unclean.  This woman had been considered “unclean” for 12 years.  She had become an outcast.  She would not have  been allowed to worship in the Temple during that time.  It is likely she rarely left her house.  No one was allowed to touch her, so she had very little social interaction with anyone.  She had been to several doctors and had done everything she knew to do to get well, but her condition had only gotten worse.  She would not have been able to support herself in any way because she could not leave her house.  She was destitute. This woman must have felt hopeless and depressed.  She was isolated, weak, and utterly alone. 

This woman was desperate.  She had heard about Jesus and hoped that maybe He could do what no one else had been able to do for her.  It would have been very difficult for her to go to Jesus.  She knew that if anyone recognized her they would likely yell out that she was unclean.  She was not supposed to go into a crowd where she could risk making others unclean.  And yet she was so desperate that she decided to take the risk.  It is likely that she was very weak and in pain, so walking to where Jesus was would have been difficult also.  She believed that all she had to do was touch the hem of His garment and she would be healed.   She snuck into the crowd and got close enough to reach out and touch Jesus’ robe. Immediately her bleeding stopped and she was healed.  When she touched His garment, Jesus felt healing leave His body and He knew that someone had “touched” His robe.  He turned around and asked who had touched Him.  The woman must have been terrified.  She knew that He was talking about her.  If she admitted touching Him, the crowd could have yelled “unclean” and humiliated her.  She might have also been afraid that Jesus would be mad that she had “stolen” healing from Him and take back the healing.  Instead of running away, she threw herself at Jesus’ feet and told Him everything.  She humbled herself, risked rejection from the crowd and begged for mercy.  Jesus responded with compassion and told her that her faith had made her whole.  Her faith and humility pleased Jesus. Her faith in Jesus resulted in her physical healing, but she received spiritual healing as well.  We are never told this woman’s name.  She must have felt nameless and like a nobody.  But when Jesus responded to her, He called her “daughter.”  She went from being insignificant to being a “daughter” of God.  Jesus wanted her, and the crowd, to know that because of her faith she was no longer nameless, she was a child of God.  Whenever we find ourselves in desperate circumstances, we can always turn to Jesus in faith and humility and we will find Him ready to help.