21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” 24 And he went with him.
And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
Jesus again crosses the sea back to the side of the Jews. Again He was surrounded by large crowds. Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue, came to Jesus and implored Him to come and heal his daughter who was at the point of death. Jesus immediately went with Him and the crowds followed bustling around Him.
In that crowd was a woman who had suffered from a menstrual condition that had continued for twelve years. She had suffered much as she tried to have the condition cured and had spent all that she had yet the problem had not gotten any better, it had only gotten worse. Because of her condition she would have been considered unclean the entire time. Anyone who touched her would also become unclean meaning she didn’t only suffer physically but also suffered religious and social isolation. She had heard the reports about Jesus healing people and came up behind Jesus and touched His clothing knowing that would be enough to heal her. As she touched his cloak she immediately felt that she was healed. At the same time, Jesus felt power go out from Him and He stopped. The urgency of going to Jarius’s daughter becomes secondary as Jesus turned and asked who had touched Him. His disciples think His question is unanswerable because with the huge crowd many people were touching Him as they bustled around Him. But the woman knew because of her healing that Jesus was referring to her. She came forward in fear and trembling probably expecting a negative response (she had “taken” her healing). She fell down in front of Jesus and told Him the whole truth. Jesus calls her daughter showing He cares for her. He told her that it was her faith that had made her well. Because of her faith in Him she had been cured and Jesus send her off in peace.
In the urgency of the bustling crowd heading to help a sick young girl, Jesus stopped and took time to deal with an older woman’s situation, engaging with her personally. Your situation, whatever it is, is important to Jesus because He cares for you. We would do well to follow Jesus’ lead and look for opportunities to deal with people individually showing care for their personal situation.