She was normal.
As normal as anyone can be with a chronic illness.
It consumed her, this raging inferno that never stopped and the pain that accompanied it.
All she wanted was to be well. To not have to worry about the stares, the whispers, the finger-pointing.
She wanted to get up in the morning without it being the first thing on her mind. And she wanted to go to bed at night without having to worry about facing it the next day. Over and over again.
Twelve years.
Had it been that long? It seemed like forever. She heard there was a man that could take away this pain. He wasn’t a Doctor, he was a Teacher. How could a Teacher help me, she wondered?
There was no other plan. Nowhere else to turn. No more Doctors. No hope.
Following the swarm of people that were in the city that day, she fell in step when she heard that they had seen the Teacher up ahead. Faster they were going now, it was all she, in her weakened condition, could do to keep up.
But there were so many of them, she could never get to the front, she was too short to see over them, so many to go around and push through. She just had to get to this Teacher! Hadn’t she heard that He had the power to heal? Yes, He is the One that they talk about.
Maybe. Just maybe.
If she could just touch Him!
Desperation set in now, afraid of losing the opportunity, she dropped to her knees and began to crawl through the throng of people that had surrounded this Teacher. She was making progress, closer, closer, almost there.
“Who touched Me?” She had been discovered! But she had also been healed! Everything was gone, no pain, no sickness, she had been completely restored to health!
“Peter…said, ‘Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?’”
“And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.” (Luke 8:45-46)
She could hide no longer and stepped out from the multitude, confessing that it was she who had touched this Healer.
“And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” (Luke 8:45-48)
Go in peace? Go in peace?! Yes! She had peace. She had pressed through, persevered and touched the One who could not only heal her but also give her peace.
Have you been in the crowd? Have you wanted to push through to Jesus but it just seemed like too much work?
He might not notice you. He might not care. You might not get what you expected.
Jesus isn’t just available to a few; He is the Savior to the world.
It’s worth it. The answered prayers, the healing, whether physical, mental or spiritual, and the peace…all of it is there waiting.
I was just another face in the crowd. I listened to lies about my lack of self-worth for too long.
You too?
Push through that crowd today. Reach out and touch Him.
Thank you Sarah and thank you for visiting, taking the time to comment. I love it when the Lord gives us something new in His Word that we may have read a hundred times before. ♥
Thank you Patty…you are right, we have all needed His healing and will continue to need Him until He returns! Blessings!
So happy you visited today! Persistence and faith, thank YOU for that! Blessings.
This was beautiful. I loved it. So neat when someone shares a well known story and you can see it afresh!
Sarah Denley
(www.inthewarmholdofyourlovingmind.blogspot.com)
Ok , I realy really loved this today. Thank you so much for sharing. We have all needed his healing.
Hi Nannette; visiting from “The Weekend Brew”.
Love this! The very fact that we continue to “reach out and touch Him”; ask, seek, and knock demonstrates that we are truly dependent on God. True prayer means business, and it keeps on asking and asking with persistence and faith. God is waiting for the persistent prayers of His people, and for those who continue to knock, the door will be opened. ♥
Blessings and love,
Denise
http://refinemelord.com/
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Beautifully said Cheryl. We don’t have to see Him to be able to touch Him! He is here! Thank you for your words of wisdom. Blessings friend. ♥
So welcome Ellen. Thank you for visiting today.
So true Floyd…He is protecting us, even from ourselves sometimes. But He is always near, and I know He has us in the shadow of His wing!
Me too! Thank you for coming!
When we give up, He steps in Ruth! I pray His peace envelops you today. ♥
Thank you Karrilee! So happy you came by and took the time to comment!
Ha, thank you Paula, it’s all true but all fun too. So glad you came by!
Thank you for visiting! So glad it was a blessing. ♥
Thank you Ashley, blessings to you!
I needed this post! What a blessing! I have often said that if Jesus were here on the earth, I would do whatever it took to get to Him…to just touch Him and be healed! But, He IS still the same. Even though we can’t physically touch His clothes, He is touched by our infirmities! Praise His name! This was a wonderful encouragement.
That was beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
I’ve always felt like my Savior’s has had me in the shadow of His wing. I felt His protection even when I was running from Him like Jonah… Alas there is no where to run on this globe that sits in His sovereign and loving hand.
She did the unthinkable, in a crowd, and it changed her life FOREVER. Love this story.
The writing was quick but admittedly the additions took longer. But I wanted this post to go out to others besides the #FMF gang 🙂 Hope I’m not disqualified! lol.
Thank you, yes He does care about the details! Others will be blessed by your teaching! ♥
Fabulous! No way I could write that in 5 minutes. I’m just preparing to do a little teaching on this passage and learned that the reason Jesus called her out was to restore her. She was considered unclean until Jesus announced her healing. I love that about Him, that He cares about the details in our lives. Thanks for sharing!
‘You might not get what you expected.’ This is for me today… having to live with an opennes to his wisdom and his plan, now that my own plans have fallen to the ground. I can’t work it out any more – but I do need him, and I do need his peace. And isn’t it amazing to know that he gives that freely! Thanks for your post today, Nannette. xRuth
I love the direction you went here! This is just beautiful! Stopping by from Lisa-Jo’s!
Beautiful! I just read your story of how you got your name and the story of your alter ego. How fun!
http://smidgensbitsandsnippets.blogspot.com/2014/03/a-visitor-at-our-house.html
Oh . .. I love this – how often we need to push in to meet Jesus where He stands still, waiting for us. I love the story of this woman. I think so many of us can sure relate! Thank you for sharing!
Well said and beautifully written!!