Are You Bleeding?

And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her,“Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” Luke 8:43-48

Today's reading contains a story that I am sure most of us are very familiar with. It is the story of the lady healed by touching Jesus garment. Let's dig a little deeper into the story and see if we can come away with something useful for us.

This woman had been dealing with this problem for twelve years. For twelve long years, she had bled, probably daily. She was viewed by her town as "unclean". She had spent her entire life savings on doctors who could not fix "her problem". Twelve years of being the outcast. Twelve years of "doctors" taking her money and leaving her with "her problem". I can hear it now, down on the corner of Main and 8th Street, "here comes bloody Betty" or "get out of the way, here comes Flo". It is tough enough when  your problems are private, but when the entire village knows.... shame, disgrace, embarrassment... you get the idea.

One day, Betty hears that Jesus is in town. She has heard about His power to heal and she makes the long walk to Town Square. One more time... go see a man that she hopes will help her. Twelve years of shame, twelve years of dashed hopes, twelve years of ridicule; but still she gets dressed and makes the hike... bleeding as she goes. She quietly sneaks up behind Jesus... enough of the straight on embarrassment. She reaches out her trembling hand for one last time and touches the "fringe of His garment". I can only imagine what that moment of faith took. (think here) I can only imagine the feeling that came over this woman as twelve years of desperation evaporated in a moment. (think here) Freedom!

Jesus recognized that "power had gone out of Him". I don't know what that means, but this I do know... He had the power in Him! Whatever happened, however the power left Him... we know that she was the one that benefited. It is odd, Peter says “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!”, but something different happened when this one woman touched Him. He was touched by thousands, maybe tens of thousands; but only in this case are we told that He felt "power" leave Him. Maybe it happened every time someone was healed, but something is different this time.

One last time, this woman must face the public and admit that she was the one that had touched the Master. "And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him". She had to publicly confess "why" she had touched Him. But now the story is different! Instead of "the doctor took my money and left me bleeding", now it's the "Great Physician" has healed me. Now it's, "He paid the price, it was His power that changed me".

When Jesus healed someone, it was instantly and it was fully! Betty got her life back! The corner gossips would have to find a new topic on Monday. But what was it about Betty that made her different? Jesus tells us the answer to the question... it was her faith! "And he said to her,“Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace”. The moment she got up that morning and decided to get dressed and go see Jesus, that was faith. The moment she made her way through the crowd, that was faith. The moment she reached out her hand to touch the Man, that was faith! Jesus honored her faith with His gift of healing. If she had stayed home in bed that morning, she would still be bleeding. She had to demonstrate her faith by her actions!

I am sure you can make the application... if you want healing, come to the Man. If your life is a bloody mess, come to the Man. Do you have twelve years of shame to get rid of, come to the Man. He has the power, you demonstrate the faith and He will honor you with healing. Physically... maybe, if it suits His purposes;  but spiritual, definitely! That is a promise... "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28. She got rest; Betty's days of suffering were over and her new life had begun. What are you waiting for? Or as Ananias said to Saul, "And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name." (Acts 22:16) Come to Him in faith, confessing your sins and turning from your past life and be immersed to have your sins removed and begin a new life, healed by His blood. (Acts 2: 37-41)

Wherever you are... I know this blog is read all around the world... find a church of Christ and talk to someone about becoming a Christian. Make the walk, demonstrate the faith and be healed by Jesus. His flow of blood is eternal and able to cover every sinner who by faith comes to Him. Do it today. Find freedom today!