Rock bottom...
Yesterday, while doing devotions with Abby, we read a story in the Bible that I haven't read for quite awhile. It was a story of a woman who had hit rock bottom. Ever been there? Man, I sure have!
This woman, many of us know her story, but I wonder how many of us have really stopped to ponder the details in her story? This is the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. She was an outcast. But also, she had spent everything she had trying to fix what was wrong with her and right in the scripture, it says, she only grew worse! She had nothing left. Nothing but a disease that continued to take her life away.
Then, one day, this sick woman heard Jesus was there! The crowds had pressed in around him. BUT! This woman, she knew in her heart just who Jesus is and she believed with everything in her that if she could just touch... not talk to, not beg, not have his full attention, or even corner him alone... if she could simply TOUCH the hem of his garment, her illness... it would be healed.
I stop and I think about that moment for her. Many times, when I have hit rock bottom in an area of my life... I'd rather mope and wallow in my own self pity... but not this woman. She found hope... she found belief and instead of hanging back wishing something would happen, or hoping that Jesus would notice her.... she pushed her way through that crowd and she touched him. She didn't give up. She believed and she went for it!
What happened next though is what amazes me. Jesus felt the power of that touch! He knew that someone had touched him and that healing had flowed and made her whole. But lets be real here... Jesus KNEW who she was. He knew what had happened. But he says, "who touched me?" His disciples were like, really?!?!? Do you see all these people pressing in around you, and you have the nerve to ask who touched me?
Personally, I think in this moment, Jesus wanted to see her faith put to words and wanted every one to see that this woman, who had nothing, had believed and was healed only by her faith! She came forward and fell in front of him trembling in fear. She told him the whole truth.
This is where life breaks us... this is the moment that we sit at his feet and await what he will think. He didn't accuse her, he didn't put her down, he didn't call her by name or any other thing, except he said, "Daughter...." Stop for a moment... put yourself in this woman's place... think about being at your lowest point, out of money, you've been bleeding and sick for 12 years... and Jesus, the very son of God, in this crowd of people calls you daughter! An endearing most loved term.... "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering...."
So, not only was she healed, she gained the hope and the joy of knowing just how much Jesus loves her! So today, what will you do when you're at rock bottom? Will you find a way to press through the crowds, believe with all your heart and touch the hem of Jesus' clothes... or will you cower back and sit in your suffering? I don't know about you... but I want to press in! I want to fall at his feet and be called daughter...
So, son or daughter! Today, be freed from your suffering!
This woman, many of us know her story, but I wonder how many of us have really stopped to ponder the details in her story? This is the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. She was an outcast. But also, she had spent everything she had trying to fix what was wrong with her and right in the scripture, it says, she only grew worse! She had nothing left. Nothing but a disease that continued to take her life away.
Then, one day, this sick woman heard Jesus was there! The crowds had pressed in around him. BUT! This woman, she knew in her heart just who Jesus is and she believed with everything in her that if she could just touch... not talk to, not beg, not have his full attention, or even corner him alone... if she could simply TOUCH the hem of his garment, her illness... it would be healed.
I stop and I think about that moment for her. Many times, when I have hit rock bottom in an area of my life... I'd rather mope and wallow in my own self pity... but not this woman. She found hope... she found belief and instead of hanging back wishing something would happen, or hoping that Jesus would notice her.... she pushed her way through that crowd and she touched him. She didn't give up. She believed and she went for it!
What happened next though is what amazes me. Jesus felt the power of that touch! He knew that someone had touched him and that healing had flowed and made her whole. But lets be real here... Jesus KNEW who she was. He knew what had happened. But he says, "who touched me?" His disciples were like, really?!?!? Do you see all these people pressing in around you, and you have the nerve to ask who touched me?
Personally, I think in this moment, Jesus wanted to see her faith put to words and wanted every one to see that this woman, who had nothing, had believed and was healed only by her faith! She came forward and fell in front of him trembling in fear. She told him the whole truth.
This is where life breaks us... this is the moment that we sit at his feet and await what he will think. He didn't accuse her, he didn't put her down, he didn't call her by name or any other thing, except he said, "Daughter...." Stop for a moment... put yourself in this woman's place... think about being at your lowest point, out of money, you've been bleeding and sick for 12 years... and Jesus, the very son of God, in this crowd of people calls you daughter! An endearing most loved term.... "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering...."
So, not only was she healed, she gained the hope and the joy of knowing just how much Jesus loves her! So today, what will you do when you're at rock bottom? Will you find a way to press through the crowds, believe with all your heart and touch the hem of Jesus' clothes... or will you cower back and sit in your suffering? I don't know about you... but I want to press in! I want to fall at his feet and be called daughter...
So, son or daughter! Today, be freed from your suffering!
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