Now you might be wondering, "She heard something different? Of whom is this blog referring about?" The title of today's blog is referring to the woman in the Bible with the issue of blood. This story can be found in different gospel accounts but I like how it is described in the gospel of Mark. She was a woman who had been suffering from a physical condition for 12 years and it is awesome to see how she overcame her situation.
Mark 5:25-29; Mark 5:34
A large crowd followed and pressed around Him(Jesus). And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. WHEN SHE HEARD ABOUT JESUS, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, "if I just touch His clothes, I will be healed." Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering....(MARK 5:34) He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
I find it amazing that after 12 years, this woman found the FAITH to say to herself, "If I only touch His clothes(the hem of His garment in other translations) I will be healed." BUT HOW WAS SHE ABLE TO DEVELOP SUCH FAITH? After all, 1 month of suffering from the same condition can easily cause anyone to loose faith, much less 12 years. It is also important to know that according to the LAW, it was not lawful for someone in her condition to be out in the public in the midst of crowds. In the book of Leviticus chapters 12 and 15 we can see that a woman with a flow of blood is considered unclean for as long as she is in that condition. Even anything she touches will be unclean according to these regulations. Imagine how she felt; not able to relate to others, fighting thoughts of condemnation, depression, and hopelessness, people avoiding her....for 12 years! This condition even affected her financially as she spent ALL she had to try to get better by seeking medical attention. She suffered a great deal.
HOWEVER, when JESUS came on the scene, SHE HEARD SOMETHING DIFFERENT. There was something about JESUS that caused faith to rise within her! The Word declares in the book of John 1:14 that Jesus came full of GRACE AND TRUTH. She heard about HIS GRACE! She heard about His willingness to heal and set the captives free; it was great news for her! There was something different about Him. She must have heard and heard and heard until faith rose up within her and she believed so much that she thought, "all I have to do is touch His clothes." AWESOME!
When we focus on His GRACE, our FAITH will grow. The more we hear HIS word and about what He has accomplished for us at the cross, the more our faith will grow and lead us to do and experience things we never imagined! The message of the Kingdom of God is the message of His Grace! If you are going through a physical condition today, begin to immerse yourself in the message of who Jesus is and what He has done for us. He took our punishment, sickness, and shame and nailed them on the cross! BE ENCOURAGED AND HEAR SOMETHING DIFFERENT TODAY, THE TRUTH OF HIS GRACE AND LOVE FOR YOU!
Romans 10:17
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
