Monday, July 21, 2008

Touch Him

So there is this woman who has been in a lot of physical pain for many years. She has been bleeding, hurting and has been a social outcast. So for 12 long years this has gone on, she has seen a lot of doctors and they can’t help her; they can’t take away her pain or give her back her social life. She is broke, lonely and getting worse. She is in the crowd, she is not noticed and remains nameless. In this crowd with her is Jesus. She has heard all about this Jesus and His power to heal people. Could it be true? Could He truly set her free from 12 long years of pain and suffering? She desperately wants to be healed. She knows if she touches Jesus this could make Him unclean under the Jewish law. So she reaches out and touches His robe. The very second she touches Him she feels free. She is free from bleeding and free from pain. At this very second Jesus knows she has touched Him. Yet He needed to show her why she was healed. He asks, "who touched me?" The woman who is afraid falls down at His feet and tells Him the truth. He tells her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." (Mark 5:21-34 emphasis and story style mine)


Can you relate? Okay so maybe you haven’t been bleeding non-stop for 12 years. But are you in a lot of pain, pain from an illness the doctors cannot give you a diagnosis for? Or maybe a choice you made in the past has you living with a diagnosis and society labels you as an outcast. Are you caught in an addiction cycle that has left you feeling stuck? Are you living with the guilt from a childhood pain that keeps you from experiencing joy? Do you have more month than you do money? Do you have questions like; why did I get cancer? Why have I had one, two, many miscarriages? Why can’t I get pregnant? Why am I married to someone who is abusive? Why am I not married? Why did I lose my parents? Why don’t I have a job? How come my child is using drugs and has ran away from home?

You see whatever the pain, suffering or issue we are dealing with the solution is the same. We need to reach out and touch Him. We need to have faith that He knows what He is doing. This woman didn’t ask Jesus one single question. And believe me I think she had them. Why have I suffered for 12 years? Why have I been a social outcast? Why am I so lonely? Where were you? She took action and touched His robe. Her faith took action.

God is in control and because of this, He has decided that He wants our relationship to be based on faith. He will not answer all of our questions, as He wants us to have faith. You see this is the whole design of the relationship, He is always there waiting for us to make the choice to be in relationship with Him.

Our faith takes action! And the more we use faith, the more it grows.

So wherever we find ourselves today, in pain, lonely, or desperate may we reach out and touch Him and hear Him say;

"Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." (Mark 5:34 emphasis mine)

5 comments:

Mylah Stanton said...

I'm so there Nichole. If I can only touch the hem of His garment, I know I will be made whole. Life is tricky right now but I choose to keep pressing! Thank you for this post...

Love,
Mylah

Runner Mom said...

Love your post, my friend! It made me think about that story in other ways.

Nichole, thanks so much for commenting on my blog! I so appreciate your prayers for wisdom and discernment!! Bless you, my sweet friend!
Love ya,
Susan

Anonymous said...

Thank-You for the "Touch" it felt good to read, read and re-read your post today...and oh how the pain hurts till we have faith to trust and obey..

ThreeGirlyGirls said...

My mouth just dropped as I opened up this post this morning. WOW. God is really speaking to me through this woman in scripture. I wrote abou this too today. WOW.

Thank you for your sweet words and support! Praying God's blessings upon you today.

Nicole said...

Nichole,

My bike ride went well while I was riding. Afterwards I was exhausted. I think I pushed a little too hard for this point in my healing. I know that my faith is what heals me but why am I still here? I know I'm better than two days and perhaps even yesterday but I am wore out. Thank you for the reminder and for visiting my blog.

PS-great name!:) Did you know it means victorious???

~Nicole