We all encounter things in life that seem to be blocking our path. It could be something hindering you from moving forward. It could also be a lack of resources to reach your goal. I will throw in one more, lacking ability to reach your destination. Whatever the obstacle is, you’ve got to push through or find a way around it.
This week I’ve been studying some of the women of the Gospels. The account of the woman with the bleeding condition in Mark 5 beginning with verse 25, has always resonated with me. I mean the testimony of this women has always stirred me inside since I was young. Why? Well I can relate to suffering from something for many years. I can also relate to seeing many doctors who couldn’t really help. Besides the doctor who did my cochlear implant surgery in 2006, my incredible audiologist, and the doctor who assisted me when our son was born, the rest of them weren’t so helpful. ( well honestly they help with general things but not the hearing and vision issues) I’ve had a total of five eyelids surgeries and found out one was not even needed. That’s a little hint to my wariness of doctors.
As I studied to prepare for our weekly Bible study, once again the woman with the bleeding condition stirred my heart. One thing about teaching on a subject, you end up going a bit deeper. I have seen the story so many times but never really considered how negatively her bleeding condition impacted her life. Back in the Old Testament, people with a continuous discharge of any kind were considered unclean. What they laid on or sat on was unclean. Leviticus 15 explains the Old Testament laws concerning these things.
So this woman has suffered for 12 years with this bleeding condition. She has depleted her financial resources by seeing many doctors who could not help. She in fact got worse. Think of her physical, emotional, social and spiritual distress for 12 long years.
The word had spread of Jesus, His power and healing touch. Everyone must have been talking about Jesus and the special ministry of healing and compassion He shared. The woman heard that Jesus was there and she wanted to touch the edge of His robe. Mark 5:27-29 says, “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.”(NLT)
That sounds like a pretty bold act of faith on her part. The crowd was pressing in on all side. She was probably weak and tired from blood loss. People in the crowd who knew her were possibly wondering ”Why is she here? She’s unclean”. She obviously didn’t care what the people thought. She was determined to get through the crowd and touch the hem of Jesus robe. She believed. She had great faith and acted n it. As a result she was healed immediately. Everywhere the Bible is shared, the story of her faith can encourage others.
She did not let the stigma of her condition prevent her from pushing through the crowd. She didn’t let her weakened condition or the pressing crowd hinder her. She was determined to push through and touch Jesus.
Is something stopping you from reaching out to Jesus in faith? Are you afraid of what others might think? God wants us to step out in faith. James 2:22 , says, “You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.”(NLT) James 2:26 goes on to say, “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.”( NLT) Lord help us have that kind of faith that moves and acts, believing and trusting you.
Years ago there was a woman at our church with kidney problems. She had gone up to the front of the church for prayer. I felt a prompting to go pray for her but I resisted. I was like, “Lord who am I to go pray for her?Can’t I pray for here from where I am?” A period of time passed and there was an altar call at another church service. Many people had gone forward for prayer and the lady was on the stage. Once again I felt a prompting to go up and pray for her. This time I obeyed. She told me later she had the best week following that.
What if we always acted promptly in faith, believing God for the impossible? Just like the woman with the bleeding condition who was determined to act in faith. The more we get to know Jesus and spend time in His Word (the Bible)the more likely we will walk in genuine faith. Praying, acting in faith, and watching to see what only God can do. He is God of the impossible. I love Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.”(NLT)
I pray this blog post has been a blessing to you. If you like it, please feel free to pass it along to bless someone else. We all need encouragement. You can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. I hope it inspires you to never give up in hard situations. Push through. God is always there to help us. Surrendering to Him years ago was the best decision I’ve ever made. Be blessed and better yet, be a blessing.
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