Mark 5:25–34 ‘If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.’ (v28)
On the way to heal synagogue leader Jairus’ daughter, Jesus encounters an interruption. Someone touches Him. It seems extraordinary that He notices this; there’s a crowd pressing around Him.
How does He know power has left Him (v30)? The woman, desperate, has gone to the only source of hope. She has been ill, unclean and therefore excluded, for twelve years.
She reaches through the crowd and touches His cloak, believing just one touch will heal her. This is an encouraging story of faith, but also of the kindness of Jesus.
He won’t let her slink away into the crowd unnoticed. By revealing what she has done, although she is ‘trembling with fear’ (v33), the healing becomes public.
It is known by all that she is well. She can be accepted back into society. Jesus commends the woman’s faith; she is set free from her suffering. Her life, from that point, would have been changed, restored.
Jesus is on an important mission, but He waits to restore a woman who has had years of physical suffering and social exclusion. He doesn’t berate her for interrupting His important task.
He turns to the person of least significance in that place, and showers kindness and love upon her. So often we miss the small things of life that are important to God: that act of compassion towards a stranger, helping someone who cannot help themselves.
As for the woman, she dares to reach out and touch the One she knows is her only hope. Her faith is rewarded. Dare we reach out to Him today?
A Prayer To Make:
‘Lord, Your goodness enables us to live a restored life. Please show me someone who needs to know that,
and help me reach out to them. Amen.’
An Action To Take:
Reach out to Jesus today for yourself or for someone else who is suffering in mind, body or spirit.
What shape might that take: prayer, or practicalities?
Scripture To Consider:
1 Chron. 17:1–27; Zech. 4:1–10; Matt. 10:1–31 & 25:31–46
