One of my favorite stories about Jesus is found in Mark 5 after his encounter with Legion. If you have not read about Jesus and Legion, check it out. If there was ever any doubt that it is impossible to be “too far gone” for the mercy and grace of Jesus, Jesus’s encounter with Legion is a reminder that he won’t even send a herd of demons back into the darkness. If you ask Jesus to keep you from the darkness, he will.
Mark 5:21- 36 tells the story of the woman who was bleeding. This story grabs my soul every time I read it. Jesus was rushing home with Jairus, who was a leader of the Synagogue. Jairus’s daughter was dying, and he was bringing Jesus home to lay hands on her. After all, Jesus was known for being able to heal, Jairus was a well-respected religious leader and his daughter was young, innocent and valuable.
But then.
I love the “But then” moments in the Bible.
But then, as Jesus moved through the crowd, a woman reached out and touched Jesus’s cloak. This woman had been experiencing hemorrhages for 12 years. This sounds bad enough, but understanding the experiences of a woman who had vaginal bleeding makes this so much more devastating. According to Leviticus 15:19, a woman who had vaginal discharge consisting of blood was considered ceremonially unclean and therefore could not be touched. Often, women who were bleeding stayed in entirely separate living spaces during their menstrual cycles. This means that the woman who touched the cloak of Jesus had likely not experienced physical contact from her loved ones for twelve years due to her condition. Twelve years without hugs, kisses or caresses. Twelve years of isolation.
But then, Jesus.
Jesus, hurrying to help the dying daughter of a friend. A leader.
This unnamed woman, in desperation, reaches out and touches his cloak.
This touch could, by ceremonial law, make Jesus unclean. Jesus flipped the norms upside down everytime though, and when she touched his cloak, she was healed. Jesus felt it. Mark 5:30 says, “immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” He looked all around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” He didn’t condemn her for touching him while unclean. Instead, he commended her faith. No more bleeding. No more isolation. She was free, in one desperate grasp of her fingers.
And Jesus paused for her. He was headed to heal the child of an important community leader, but he paused to recognize the faith and healing of the unknown, isolated, desperate woman who had tried literally everything to be healed before reaching out to him.
Jesus sees you. Jesus knows you. Jesus cares about who you are, where you have been and offers you hope, healing and connection.
All you have to do is reach out and believe. One touch changes everything.
Be Bold. Live Out Loud.
-CC
The Journey is Real 