What if everything could be different?
"And a woman who had a hemorrhage for 12 years and could not be healed by anyone came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped." Luke 8
*12 years of constant bleeding
*12 years of being "unclean"
*12 years of physical weakness
Discouragement . . . despair . . . hopelessness.
"And Jesus said,'Who is the one who touched Me?"
*There was a huge crowd pressing in on Jesus -- what was different about this touch?
*was is expectant?
*was it desperate?
*was it the sincerity of it?
*was it a faith touch?
"And while they were all denying it, Peter said,'Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on you.' But Jesus said, 'Someone did touch me, for I was aware that power went out of Me.'"
*Whoa -- Jesus knew that healing power had gone out of Him. He knew that a healing had taken place. Even in the midst of this crowd, He knew that something miraculous had taken place.
"When the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him and how she had been immediately healed."
*She wanted to stay anonymous . . . to remain unnoticed . . . to just slip away.
*She was fearful and trembling.
*BUT - she also had a boldness as she began to proclaim how Jesus healed her.
"And He said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace."
*What a relief.
*What an encouragement.
*What a gift.
It was a brief encounter but it changed everything. We don't hear anything about this woman again, but I can imagine that life truly began anew for her in every sense.
It is still true, you know. When we proclaim the great things that Jesus has done in our lives, we too become bolder. Let your speech speak of your faith.
A touch.
A faith.
A miracle.
Only Jesus.
Go in peace.
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