In our daily devotional, we continue to reflect on Jesus's supernatural acts. Let's now turn our attention to The Woman with the Issue of Blood.
25A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, 26and had endured much at the hands of many physicians and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse— 27after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. 28For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” 29Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. 30Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” 31And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” 32And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. 33But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction” (Mark 5:25-34).
A Miracle in the Crowd: Mark 5:25-34
How wonderful it is that God responds to faith. This woman’s faith in Christ grew out of desperation, as her internal bleeding persisted for 12 years and only got worse (v. 26). What might it have been like to be in her shoes? Her condition made it illegal for her to be in public to avoid contaminating others. Leviticus 15:25 explains, “When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period or has a discharge that continues beyond her period, she will be unclean as long as she has the discharge, just as in the days of her period.” She could never enter the Temple, synagogue, or be part of social gatherings. Her illness kept her from social life. Mark also tells us that she had spent all her money on doctors (Mark 5:26) and that she was now desperate for relief. She had drained her resources and probably hadn’t slept in a bed for some time; after all, what hotel would accommodate her? Which friend would host her? Everything she touched was considered ceremonially unclean.
The Isolation of the Unclean: Understanding Her Desperation
She likely felt afraid of the consequences as she joined the crowd trying to reach Jesus, hoping to avoid detection. She believed that if she could get close enough and touch His garment's hem, she would be healed. Mark describes how her desperation and faith drove her to push through the crowd to grasp the tassels of His prayer garment. When she touched one, she was instantly healed. Jesus then turned and asked, “Who touched my garments?” (v. 31). The woman fell trembling at His feet (v. 33). She took a significant risk by reaching out in faith because Jesus was known as a Rabbi empowered by the Spirit of God. She might have feared contaminating Him with her uncleanness, possibly preventing Him from healing the synagogue ruler’s daughter. We can suppose she expected severe reprimand and to be brought before a court for touching someone while unclean.
Touching the Hem: A Risk That Led to Restoration
I cherish the Lord’s response to her: “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be free from your suffering.” After over 12 years of rejection because of her condition, she finally found relief. It must have been a wonderful moment for her to see grace, acceptance, understanding, and joy from our Savior. Doesn't grace and kindness touch your heart? Hasn't He shown that to you as well?
Prayer: God, make us more like Jesus, full of grace and truth. Keith Thomas
Continue Your Journey…
If you found this meditation meaningful, there is so much more to explore about God’s plan in the Gospel of Luke series, click on 18: The Sick Woman and the Dead Girl.
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