Grace Reformed Baptist Church, Bangalore

Scripture Reference: Matt 9: 20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48.

Introduction

• We study about this character in all the synoptic– Matthew, Mark and Luke. We are not sure about her name, the only thing we know about her is that she was suffering with the issue of blood. She was struggling from this issue for 12 years and had met all possible physicians and spent her fortune trying to treat her illness.  Sadly, she didn’t feel any better but rather her condition got worse.

Qualities of this women

• Her Affliction

Firstly, she had the issue of blood and that issue was not just for few days or few months instead it was for 12 long years!  As women, we can relate very well with this issue. Enduring this issue just for few days every month is a big struggle for most of us, just imagine this women’s condition, 12 years of pain and struggle, it’s a chronic condition.  How much of pain, struggle, affliction she would have gone through!

As if this is not enough, in the Jewish culture, this state of women are considered unclean and unfit to be any company.  It is difficult for moderners like us to grasp social stigma she had to endure in that society.  This woman has gone through a lot of afflictions both physically in her body and mentally the way people treated her.

• Her Patience

Amidst her afflictions, she has patiently endured for 12 years, trying all possible doctors, spending all the money with no good results.  She is a great example of patience.

• Her desperation

When we read this passage, we can see how desperate she was for a healing.  She would tried everything the doctors of her day advised her, and paid them as much as they want as long as she can better her condition.   They gave her one thing after another for no better results. Chances for cure was not given but all her resources dried up, the doctors had no more advice and considered her incurable.

She was desperate for her healing.

• Her Faith

When she heard people speak of the power of Christ, she believed and began to hope again for an ultimate cure. She just wanted to get to Jesus. She had been in a state of hiding these many years and she felt she couldn’t just go up to him and talk to him. She was embarrassed of her situation and hence she made a plan; if she could just touch edge of his clothing for a second. She made her way through the crowd. A crowd that could turn on her if they realized that she was the one with the issue of blood. She somehow managed to touch the hem of His garment and instantly the blood stopped, she felt perfectly well. This shows her faith and the amount of trust she had in the Lord when she believed him.

• Her Humility

When Jesus knew that the power had gone out of him, he turned and asked who touched me? The women could have moved from that place as she was healed. Mark 5:33 says, ‘But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth’. This shows the humility she possessed. Many a times when we get what we have been desiring for long time, our attitude changes and we forget to even thank God for the goodness and mercy that he has showered in our life. Here, we see the women displaying her humility as her heart was filled with gratitude unto the Lord.

Application

1. Many of us can very well relate to this woman, as we go through these afflictions every month. She was treated unclean and didn’t get any better, but amidst all that she was patient, she waited.
2. We are desperate to come out of our situation especially in case of our health, when it is getting chronic, we lose our temper, patience and get annoyed, here we see this women who was going through this stage for 12 years and moreover she was treated unclean by others but when she knew about Jesus and when she believed in Him and laid her faith on him, her life was different. We are amazed by her faith and she was commended by Jesus for her faith, what a privilege! We must learn and apply this amazing quality of faith from this woman.
3. How much we must be grateful for the advancement of technology; it is all the provision of God. God in his Providence has allowed so many advancements in many areas and most importantly in the sector of health and we must be so grateful for the Lord for his provision.
4. We must self-examine ourselves, when God has been grateful to us, how is our response towards him, do we forget all the faithfulness of the lord and become unfaithful or are we like this woman filled with humility?