Reach Out and Touch Some One

Mar 5:25-29 - And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And [immediately] the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

    


The book of Mark is a historical document and an accurate record of actual people; there was indeed a certain woman. Possibly no other account in the New Testament so graphically describes such an ordeal as this dear lady suffered. Twelve long years she had this condition and no matter how she sought to be relieved, her situation only continued to deteriorate.

    In those days the medical knowledge and facilities were known to be less than par and sometimes the cure was worse than the disease. This is by no means a slander on the noble profession of those who have devoted themselves to the medical field; we are deeply grateful for doctors and any medical help. Truly, God partners with all who wish to bring relief from pain and suffering. Todays’ medicine and healthcare have advanced dramatically, and we have so much to be thankful for. However, those that have suffered with any kind of disease, especially a chronic and life-threatening one, know that the process of treatment can be arduous, painful and exhausting.

    This woman suffered from a continual loss of blood; twenty-four hours per day, seven days each week, fifty-two weeks every year, for twelve grueling years. Her physical strength was draining out of her moment by moment. We can only imagine that her emotional strength was likewise diminishing. The implication is that she was once a woman of social status and had financial means; she spent all that she had. It is likely that she was married and had a family but, her condition weakened her and prevented her from fulfilling her role as a wife and mother. She suffered in so many ways; physically, emotionally, financially and socially. She desperately looked for answers, but none came; the agony continued, and she only got worse.

    She had looked for possible solutions from many physicians, until at last, no doubt, she was at the point of despair, but then, someone told her of another Physician; a different Physician; one who was sent from God and had been anointed to heal the sick. Multitudes were flocking to Him and reaching out their hands to touch Him. He was kind and compassionate and He never turned anyone away; even the outcast lepers were being healed of their terrible and chronic condition. Like a poor, starving person, desperately needing a nutritious meal, her hungry heart must have devoured that good news and it produced within her an expectant and confident faith. Years ago, when a friend and I were launching into a ministry venture, a seasoned pastor prayed over us that our appetite would determine our meal; he knew that hunger is a powerful motivator.

    The Law of Moses, which governed the culture, had guidelines regarding women in her condition but, the interpreters of those guidelines had distorted them into harsh, condemning and judgmental rules; and as always when strict legalism is emphasized, people are devalued, and mercy is lost. This precious lady now belonged to a class of people who were considered outsiders by society; she was exiled through no fault of her own. That is why she wanted to slip up behind Jesus and simply touch the fringe of His clothing; get in, get healed, get out, was her plan. She had ample reason to be afraid of the crowd, but what she heard concerning Jesus displaced her fear and gave her the courage to act.

    As she reached out and made contact, the power of God flowed like electricity into her and, as His power always does, it went directly to the source of the problem and she was immediately healed. She knew that something came into her and Jesus knew that something went out of Him. For twelve years she had been plagued with this condition and in one moment she was set free. There is something so admirable about this lady; she has indeed inspired millions by her story. Jesus was not headed in her direction; she chose to go toward Him. Jesus did not have her on His agenda; she put Him on her agenda. Jesus did not hear anything about her; she heard something about Him. Jesus did not reach out and touch her; she reached out and touched Him. She is an example of how proactive faith in Jesus can radically change a person’s life.

    Isn’t it interesting how we refer to this lady as the woman with the issue of blood? However, that cannot be accurate any longer because she may have once been the woman with the issue of blood, but she is no longer that woman; she was healed. The Bible does not give us her name, it only says that there was a certain woman. She was a specific woman; a particular woman; a definite woman; an actual woman. She was a unique individual, like you and I, purposely created by God, not to struggle with a chronic ailment but, to live, love and enjoy, with all its ups and downs, the human experience that we call life.
     Reach out and touch some One!

Do You Need a Lift?

Mark 1:29-31 - And [immediately], when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and [immediately] they tell him of her. And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. 

    As we read through the book of Mark, we are struck with the fact that there is a repetitious use of the word immediately. Mark writes in such fashion that the reader is drawn in and becomes part of the story; there develops a sense of immediacy about it. Contrary to many people’s view, God is near; He is not disengaged, detached and watching from a distance; He is standing ready and in close proximity to us and Mark seems to always highlight that fact.

     Jesus had just been in the synagogue and had cast a demon out of a man, which caused quite a stir among the assembly. Jesus then left the roused up synagogue and entered into Peter’s house with a few of His close disciples. It is entirely possible that he was hoping for a rest, however, upon entering the home He is informed of a lady who is suffering terribly. A normal fever is the bodies’ way of fighting sickness but, the language used here seems to imply that Peter’s mother-in-law was held down under the power of an unusually strong and unnatural fever to the point that she was incapacitated by it. Knowing the ladies of our families as we do, we know that it is almost always a last resort for them to lie down. This was a life-threatening and extremely debilitating fever.

    Once Jesus had heard of this dear lady’s condition, He came to her right away, thus demonstrating His caring heart and His desire to be near. The description of how Jesus ministered to this lady is very interesting and grants us insight into the tact and bedside manner of the Great Physician. He took hold of her hand and lifted her up and, by so doing, we see an indication of the heart of God. We were not created to be held down under the power of sickness or any other force. We were created to stand upright and to walk straight and tall, with dignity and majesty as children of the King.

    What would it feel like to have the Master’s hand take firm hold of our hand? The purest heart reached out through the hands that had never done any harm to anyone. Those hands had only been used for dignified and noble purposes. They were a working man's hands. They were strong, yet, gentle hands. They were kind and compassionate hands. And without any contradiction; they were healing hands. The hand is the extension of the heart; if there is compassion and healing in the heart, then there is compassion and healing in the hand.

    The fever takes on personality and seems to have understood that it could not remain because the simple touch of the Master’s hand made a resounding statement; ‘She belongs to the Father and there is no place in this woman’s life for you’. Darkness always leaves at the presence of light for it will never be able to overpower it. We do not necessarily need to fight the darkness; we simply need to turn on the light and remove any obstacles that may be blocking it. God is the ever-shining light and in Him there is no darkness at all; not even one particle.

    Health is a gift that most of us take for granted and when we don’t have it, we go to great lengths to get it back, and rightly so. However, it is important to stress that health, although desirable and enjoyable, is not the goal in itself; it is simply a resource enabling us to achieve the goal; which is to fulfil the plan of God by walking out His will for our lives. Peter’s mother-in-law was a grateful recipient of the healing touch of God. While she was under the power of the fever, she was not able to give to others the way she normally would, but once she received healing ministry from Jesus she got up and ministered to the guests by serving them. Jesus elevated this type of service to humanity by declaring that if we simply give a cup of water in the name of the Lord that it will be rewarded, and we, too, must never undervalue the seemingly menial tasks that are done to serve and bless others. This beautiful lady has gone down in the record of history as a selfless and sincere servant of Christ and His body. She ministered then by her actions, and she ministers now as we read what she has done.

    The wonderful truth is that Jesus, the Great Physician, has never changed; He still makes house calls. He came to her bedside then, and He comes to the bedside of the afflicted today. He took her by the hand then, and He takes the sufferer by the hand today. He lifted her up then, and He lifts up all those who are brought low through sickness today. He lifts all of us up so that we are able to see Him face to face and have a noble relationship with Royalty. We are not lifted up by our own bootstraps but by His powerful hand. Indeed, He is, as the Psalmist of old has said, ‘My glory and the lifter of my head!’