The woman in Mark 5:25-34 surely struggled with a tainted perspective and at times identified herself as unlovable. An ongoing issue affectively taints our perspective. And this woman experience an ongoing menstrual cycle for 12 years.  Need I say how miserable that must have made her? 

 

However, the damage of her issue was not only physical, but it would have damaged her identity. She had been identified as unclean for twelve years. In Jewish law, that meant untouchable. This woman’s issues of unclean and untouchable set her up as a perfect candidate for wearing the Unlovable label.

Unloveable and Desperate

Her issue made her desperate, willing to go against social norms and press through a crowd hoping in the power of one healing touch. 

 

When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

Mark 5:27-28

 

This woman had an issue of blood, but the reality is, we all have issues. Our issues might not be the same as hers, but we still have them. When we refer to someone as having issues, many times we speak of someone who seems unlovable in one way or another. I say that because one unresolved issue almost always taints our perspective and damages our identity and how we relate to others. 

One Unresolved Issue

I have had unresolved issues in my lifetime and I know the price of not dealing with our issues. 

This woman’s issue cost her a great deal of suffering. It had cost her too much time, failure, and money, and her condition increasingly grew worse. Her original issue turned into more issues. One unresolved issue in our life has the potential to lead to a whole host of other issues. Hurt or pain from our past unaddressed festers, infects, and brings bitterness and resentment that often looks like UNLOVEABLE. 

However, facing our issues head-on with Christ has the potential to lead us to a place of freedom from our issues. 

I love that Mark 5:33 tells us that the woman faced Jesus and told him the truth. Scripture says when she faced Jesus she told him the whole truth. (Mark 5:33) Many times we make excuses for our issues. 

Our Excuses Might Sound Like:

• I have always struggled with this. It must be my lot in life. 

• My mother had the same problem. I guess I inherited it from her. 

• I can’t help it. I tried but nothing changed. 

• This is just the way God made me. 

•  It’s not my fault. It is because of all I have been through. 

 

If we base any issue changes on our circumstances, our ability, or our own selves, we too, may suffer for way too long. When all we really need is to bring our issues to Jesus, tell Him the whole truth, and let His healing touch fix our broken places. 

Hope Set on His Healing Touch

I love that the woman set her hope on the healing touch of Jesus. Twelve years untouchable and a fresh desire to experience a breakthrough, she pressed her way through the crowd for one healing touch of Jesus’ garment. 

I think it is so incredible that Jesus allowed her to feel her healing. The only touch she had felt for twelve years was pain and suffering. How sweet that Jesus let her feel her healing. “Why? 

4 reasons He let her feel her healing. 

1.    Jesus knew her issues. (He knows ours as well.) We see God’s deep intimate knowing of us in Psalm 139. 

O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.

Psalm 139:1b-3

 

2.    She was loved by Him. (He loves us too.) Our God is a good and perfect Father who bestows His perfect love on us, his imperfect children. 

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! 

1 John 3:1a

 

3.    Her faith pleased Him. (Our faith also pleases Him.) God is always pleased when we come to Him in faith. 

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Hebrews 11:6

 

4.    Jesus accepted her with all her issues. (He accepts us the same way.)  No matter what our issues were in the past or are in the present, In Christ, we are accepted. 

To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Ephesians 1:6

 

Just as He let the woman feel His healing touch, sometimes He allows us to feel His presence as we seek Him. These are intimate moments whether at home bowed before Him, in corporate worship at church, in personal Bible study, or even driving down the road praying or praising. Jesus can meet us wherever we are. 

I also love how Jesus expressed His love and acceptance to this woman who sought out His healing touch by faith. Jesus called her daughter and commended her faith in Mark 5:34. 

And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith had made you well. 

Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” 

Mark 5:34

 

One Encounter with Christ Changes the UNLOVABLE Label to LOVED. 

That is what Jesus does when we bring our issues to Him and allow Him to touch and heal our brokenness. 

 

This woman gave us an example to follow. If you need a healing touch that changes everything. Don’t let anything stop you from reaching out to Jesus. As she knew her hope was in Jesus and so set her faith goal to touch His clothes, we too should follow her lead. Set your hope and faith goal in Christ. 

 

Her faith goal required her to go against social norms of acceptability to receive her healing. But, she wanted her healing more than allowing what society or the culture of her day told her she could or should do. Her healing was too close to let it pass her by. 

 

Do you need healing from an issue? 

Do you have your faith set on Christ? 

Are you willing to seek Him in the midst of this crowded world? 

Are you willing to go against social norms to experience your healing? 

 

Dear Sister, Your healing is near as hers. 

 

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. 

He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; 

He also will hear their cry and save them.

 Psalm 145:18-19

 

Jesus’ call to the weary, the heavy-burdened, the sick, and the broken: “Come!”