HEART, HEALING AND MIRACLES (2)

“For she THOUGHT to herself, “If I can just TOUCH his robe, I will be HEALED” – Mark 5:28, NLT

There is still much to learn from the story of the woman with the Issue of Blood, about the HEART, HEALING and MIRACLES: “She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and TOUCHED his robe. For she THOUGHT to herself, “If I can just TOUCH his robe, I will be HEALED.” Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition” (Mk.5:27-29, NLT). This unique healing story of chronic menstrual haemorrhage is found in three gospels. Yesterday, we meditated on Matthew’s account; today, on Mark’s. When she heard people speak of the power of Christ, she believed in her HEART and began to hope again: If she could just get to Him! Possibility THOUGHTS in her HEART preceded the Faith TOUCH with her hand.

What a plight! No one would have wanted to be around her. She couldn’t freely move in public. Twelve long years of being quarantined! She was considered unclean, but must have felt unwell too, having to deal with the rigour of cleaning clothes and linens for twelve years. She had consulted numerous doctors and spent everything she had trying to be cured, but nothing worked and she even got worse! Tired, worn out, and intensely lonely. But she was desperate for a miracle, which can be a very good thing. Desperation keeps complacency and self-pity away. She pushed her way through a crowd that could turn on her if they realized that she had an unceasing issue of blood.

The woman was desperate for healing, so much so that she didn’t worry about what others would think or at least she didn’t let her worries stop her. She had faith and great expectation that Jesus’ power would heal her; these are of great worth in God’s sight (Heb.11:6). Jesus knows that sick people need help and mercy, not isolation and condemnation. It seems that He wanted to look her in the eye, not to yell at her for bothering Him, but to see the beautiful, genuine faith emanating from her heart. She didn’t have to suffer anymore. She was free.

Three of the many life lessons to learn are:

Fight from the Heart for What You Desire: She had to fight to be healed. She wasn’t healed by hoping Jesus would notice her or ask Him to heal her. We as believers must fight for what we want in life. Nothing of value comes without conflict. Like this woman, there may be people standing between us and our blessings. Other times our own limiting beliefs keep us back. Regardless of what it is, having to struggle doesn’t necessarily mean that what we want isn’t God’s Will for us. We may need to fight the Good Fight of Faith! The Israelites had to fight for The Promised Land. Although it was promised to them by God, they were still required to unseat the current dwellers.

Being Intentional makes a Difference: Although many people thronged Jesus (v.24); when this intentional woman touched Him, Jesus asked “Who touched my clothes?” (v.30). He admitted feeling the release of healing power in response to a deliberate touch (Lk.8:46). Unlike everyone else in the crowd that was touching Jesus without intent, the woman touched Him intentionally, from her Heart, with her hand, and was healed. Being intentional makes a difference in diverse aspects of life. Having no goal is like driving without a destination.

Never Give Up in Your Heart: If you fail, try again! For twelve years, she didn’t abandon her desire to be healed. When she heard about Jesus, it’s no surprise that she tried again. Her initial failed attempts did not discourage her; and this time she got what she wanted. A failure doesn’t what we want isn’t possible or God’s will. It could mean that we are going about it the wrong way, bad timing, or any potential factor beyond our control. We must simply keep the faith and try again. Getting what we want might be just one reach away!