After Jesus sent the legion of devils inhabiting the man in the Gadarenes (Mark chapter 5) into the sea, He departed that area, going into Decapolis and then crossing to the west side of the Sea of Galilee (v.221). Many people were gathered there to see Him. Jaiarus, a ruler of the synagogue, made his way to Jesus and begged Him to go to his house and heal his little daughter who was at the point of death. Jesus started out with Jairus and all the throng followed.
In the midst of the crowd, there was a woman slowly maneuvering through in order to place herself directly behind Jesus (Matthew 9:20, Mark 5:27, Luke 8:44). Although she had sought out many physicians in the last twelve years for her continual bleeding, nothing worked and she remained an “untouchable” and anything she touched or that touched her was considered unclean (Leviticus 15). She truly believed that if she could only touch the edge of His clothing, she would be healed. Amazingly, no one noticed her as they would have surely recognized her as the 'unclean woman'. Finally, she positioned herself to reach Him, and touched the fringe of His garment. Immediately the bleeding stopped and Jesus, knowing at once that power had gone out of Him, turned around within the crowd, asking: “Who touched my clothes?” His disciples answered Him with amazement at His question – what did He mean? He is surrounded with a large crowd and it could have been anyone. But, Jesus directly looked at the woman. She went with fear and trembling, falling down before Him in front of everyone. She explained to Jesus why she touched Him and that as she did, she had immediately been healed. It was, at that point, as if no one else was around and it was just her and Jesus standing over her. His love for this precious woman was evident. His undivided attention was focused on her in a sweet moment of companionship as His heart was touched by her gift of faith in Him – something quite rare in our human condition. He told her that it was because of that sweet gift that she was made well, to go in peace, and to be healed of her disease (Mark 5:34).
One thing I know with certainty is that we can never be lost from God (Psalm 139:1-4), and we are of the utmost value to Him (Matthew 10:29). Therefore when you are in doubt, and we all doubt sometimes, gather yourself together and launch yourself on a mission as she did, not allowing your crowded emotions or anything else to get between you and your Heavenly Father who is the source of all good things. Our Creator sent His son to come to earth in order to make a way for our Him to be able to touch us and in turn be touched by us. Our spiritual imperfection will never get in the way of His reaching out to touch us with His love for us. You are not alone!
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