Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
May 2, 2023
Mark 5:21-34
21 Jesus crossed the lake again, and on the other side a large crowd gathered around him on the shore. 22 Jairus, one of the synagogue leaders, came forward. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet 23 and pleaded with him, “My daughter is about to die. Please, come and place your hands on her so that she can be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him. A swarm of people were following Jesus, crowding in on him. 25 A woman was there who had been bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a lot under the care of many doctors, and had spent everything she had without getting any better. In fact, she had gotten worse. 27 Because she had heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his clothes. 28 She was thinking, If I can just touch his clothes, I’ll be healed. 29 Her bleeding stopped immediately, and she sensed in her body that her illness had been healed. 30 At that very moment, Jesus recognized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 His disciples said to him, “Don’t you see the crowd pressing against you? Yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 But Jesus looked around carefully to see who had done it. 33 The woman, full of fear and trembling, came forward. Knowing what had happened to her, she fell down in front of Jesus and told him the whole truth. 34 He responded, “Daughter, your faith has healed you; go in peace, healed from your disease.”
Good Morning, This is a day of new beginnings!
Do we believe in the healing power of Jesus? Do we have the courage to reach out and touch Jesus? The woman in this passage had been suffering for twelve years. Her affliction made her an outcast because others thought a demon possessed her, and if they touched her, the demon would also enter them. Despite this, she took a risk to join the crowd around Jesus. Then she touched his robe. This was not a random touch but a purposeful grasping of Jesus’ robe because she believed that in touching it, she would be healed.
Have you ever wanted something so badly that you began to believe in something that didn’t seem possible? You prepared and endured many struggles. Now imagine that those struggles continued for twelve years. Let’s consider a child with a disability. Life is hard, and often the child has great pain. He begins school, as do all the others his age. Each day was a new beginning with new pain and new struggles, but he wanted to acquire his diploma like the others would, so he worked and endured the challenges of each day. He had a few who would speak to him, but he found himself alone many days.
If he gave up, would anyone honestly notice, or would they say, good job, at least you tried? Days turn into weeks, and weeks turn into years. Finally, the day comes when he crosses that stage and receives his diploma. He never lost faith as he tolerated his pain and suffering, and now he had completed his quest, and he was a high school graduate.
I share this because this is how long the woman had bled: twelve years. I can’t imagine the physical and emotional toll this places on the human body. She began to hear rumors of Jesus, the one who heals, and she dared to believe she could be healed. When she heard that he was coming to her town, she had to try to see him. There were so many others surrounding Jesus. If she stayed too long, the others would quickly become aware of her bleeding and send her away in horror. She blends into the crowd and plans to reach out and touch the robe. She believed, and she was immediately healed.
Now came the unexpected call from Jesus to confess her touching. Why would Jesus, who was so compassionate, call her out in front of the others? He already knew the answer but called for her to admit her action. This was not to condemn her but to praise her for her great faith. This would also break the ostracism that was attached to her. All would know she was healed and should be welcomed into their community.
Do we believe in the healing power of Jesus? Do we have the courage to reach out and touch Jesus? Praise be to God, the great physician.
Blessed God, We thank you for Your blessings. Help us muster a portion of faith and courage from those with great faith. Thank You! In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Even when I don’t understand, I will continue to trust and hope in God.
What a mighty God we serve! Pastor Liz
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