And She Believed as Thus
Pastor Rong
Translated by Allan Liang
Mark 5:21-34
As Jesus was proceeding to the house of Jairus to heal his daughter, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for 12 years came among the crowd and reached out to touch the edge of Jesus’ garment, immediately she was miraculously healed. She sought for healing, as recorded in the Bible, through nontraditional ways, even her faith was manifested in unique ways. Yet Jesus clearly understood the fears, worries and desire for liberation in her heart. In the old testament, bleeding was considered an unclean sickness (Leviticus, 15:25-30), and a person afflicted with such a sickness would not be able to participate in religious activities, for all who were in contact with her would become unclean. These 12 years, not only did she suffer physically and face economic impoverishment, she was also unable to attend religious festivals and was not able to come near God. She was cut off from normal social life. This life is truly filled with bitterness and pains. In this season of pandemic, confined in our houses, we can slightly experience what she endured. Yet this woman, under such pressures, lived for 12 years! The suffering of her lonely soul truly is unspeakable. She was afraid to the point of lacking the confidence to come before Jesus. And what was it that allowed her to overcome all difficulties and come among the crowded people just to touch Jesus’ outer garment? She had heard the things that Jesus had done. What things regarding Jesus did she hear? His ability to perform miraculous deeds - the blind able to see, the deaf hear, the mute mute speak, the crippled walk, and the dead raised to life. These things motivated her to come to Jesus, though she did not have the courage to come face to face with Jesus. She could not declare her sickness in public so she sought to secretly touch the outer garment of Jesus. She thought to herself, “just one touch and I will be healed.” Brothers and sisters, this hand of faith propelled her entire body forwards, and allowed her to do something against common reason - she touched, and was healed! She heard the things of Jesus but only today reached out the hand of faith. By hearing the works of the Lord, her very life was altered. As disciples of the Lord, we must be faithful to our duty to spread the gospel so that more people may hear the good news about Jesus. Jesus not only healed her of her sickness, more importantly, her life was saved. Jesus told her to go in peace, for she was now a child of God. This woman for her faith, received such grace and was restored of her relationship with God, so that not only was her body healed, she received the salvation of God, being called “daughter” by Jesus, how dear and precious is it to be called a child of the Lord Jesus! Brothers and sisters, we are members of God’s family, and how blessed are we! We are sons and daughters of this glorious and victorious God, and God surely, by the Spirit in us, will abundantly grant to us more than we can possibly ask and think. Thanks be to God! Please meditate with prayer: Though she was one among many in the crowd, the Lord did not neglect the needs of this lowly person; in knowing this, we are granted much comfort. The Lord Jesus was busy, on his way to rescue the daughter of Jairus who was at the gates of death, yet still, he was willing to stop and listen to the voice of one weak and feeble. Dear brothers and sisters, please come always to Jesus and speak to him the things of your heart, your thanks and your praise, your weaknesses and your worries and your desperate needs, for he truly cares for you! May God, in accordance to his overflowing grace, bless and provide for you, so that you may become a living testimony to his saving grace.