One Touch

One Touch (Luke 8:40-48)

Luke 8:40-48, And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him. 41And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: 42For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him. 43And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 44Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. 45And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 46And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. 47And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

Imagine the grief and despair that she felt. Most would grow impatient and give up in twelve days. Each day was more of the same. She has been suffering twelve humiliating years with an issue of blood. She was labeled unclean by the Rabbis. According to the law of God she was considered ceremonially unclean. This affected her life both socially and spiritually. She was not allowed to fellowship with the public, nor to worship at the Temple. She lived a life of solitude and physical suffering.

She was untouchable and not able to touch others. Lonely, heartbroken, and humiliated at this point even a hug would have ministered to her, but it was prohibited. She was ostracized from the Synagogue. She was an outcast from society. She thought she was orphaned from God. She had an opportunity or official visit with the Son of God. Daily as she was avoided by others, she saw their faces and their eyes. They must have been cold, cringing, and some calloused. For twelve years she has been carrying the weight and burden of this humiliation.

With appointments with numerous doctors filling her head with dreams ad hopes of healing her with remedies, in the end the only filling that came was the pockets of the doctors. She was destitute after a dozen years of steady blood loss. She was pale, anemic, and tired. She was done with the stigma, shamers, and shysters.

She heard of another physician. One Who was compassionate, no charges or fees, a gentle healer. She had heard of His success among the incurable. Briefly following the crowd, she desperately extends her empty hand through the crowd and touched the hem of His garment. When she realized she could not hide from the Lord, she came before Jesus trembling. She was terrified and fell down before the Lord. She told the people what was wrong with her and then told them that when she touched Jesus she was healed immediately.

Jesus was moved by her faith. This is the only time that Jesus called a woman daughter in all of Scripture. Don't forget, she was scared of the people for being unclean and she was afraid of Jesus because she touched Him. She was wondering, I'm sure, "What is going to happen to me now?" With gentleness, tenderness, and assurance, Jesus told her everything was going to be all right, "Be of good comfort." Jesus was telling her to have courage and to be cheerful. This is the meaning of this word "comfort." He continued and said, "Go in peace. Your faith has made you whole." This word "whole" means "continually whole." Jesus assured her that she would not have a relapse. Her problem was not coming back. Christ's message is the same for us today.

Just as this poor woman was immediately healed of her plague when she touched the Lord Jesus, so sinners are healed of the plague of their hearts, freed from the curse of the law and the guilt of sin as soon as they touch the Lord Jesus Christ by faith. Like this woman with the hemorrhage, we all have been defiled by sin. We must be cleansed of sin or we can never spend eternity in the presence of a holy God. Only Jesus can cleanse us through His death on the cross. Following the crowd who is following Jesus will not bring a person into a personal relationship with Him. We must lay hold of Him by faith as she did that day. You will never possess what you need in life apart from Christ! Religion without Christ is of no value to lost sinners.

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, thank You for saving me by Your amazing grace. I know that when I called out to Your Son for salvation, He was already reaching to me. Help me to reach others who need You. In Jesus name, AMEN!

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