She was hoping against hope. Twelve years of battling her physical ailment had left her broken and despairing. Her money continued to dwindle after each physician. Yet a remedy had not been found.
The strength to go one had waned after her last coin had been handed over and the verdict was given, “There is nothing we can do.” Her body, frail and weak and her spirit, crushed and hopeless is who she had become. She longed for a vibrant life, but in reality she was dying. She had explored every option. However, they all led nowhere.
She lay on her mat, her shallow breathing giving testament of her weakened condition. Surprisingly, voices outside her dwelling raised her from her stupor. It was just bits and pieces she heard. Something about a man named Jesus. One who had performed miracles and had brought healing to the sick.
As the words sunk into her consciousness a ray of hope grew within her. It became a conscious thought. “If only I could see Jesus.”
She felt the weakness pervading her body and despair washed over her again bringing a dose of her present reality along with questioning thoughts. “How many times had she been to see a physician, hoping for a cure and nothing happened? How could she except this man Jesus to help her?”
Sleep crowded in and she drifted off into a fitful slumber with her heart aching as much as her body.
Determined Hope
Once again she was awakened. This time, with what seemed like crowds of people walking by her small dwelling. She heard the name of Jesus mentioned and so she listened with bated breath, grasping for any detail she could hear above the tramping of feet.
Hope once again bloomed. She fought the weakness. She tried to rise, but the disease had stolen her strength. Still she struggled. Determination took over. “Yes, she would follow the crowd. She would see this man Jesus, even if she had to crawl!”
Struggling to stand upright, this frail woman leaned in the doorway as she watched the people stream by. “She would give one more determined effort to gain life. If only she could just touch the border of His garment.”
With unsteady gait, she entered the crowd. Again and again she fell. In spite of that, she kept on. Half walking, half crawling. She would see Jesus! The way seemed long and unending. When the crowd that had carried her along stopped, she fell to her knees. Her strength to go on had been stripped from her. Then she heard the name of Jesus. She began again….crawling through the feet and swirling robes.
Faith and Hope Rewarded
As from a fog above her she heard someone say, “Look! There’s Jesus.” She inched forward groping for the hope she felt could be found in this man called Jesus. Regardless of the people around her that had been tripping over her and loudly proclaiming her a nuisance, she kept on. She reached and her hand grasped the border of a garment. Then what joy! Healing flowed through her body. Amazement filled her heart. She was healed! This man had done the impossible. Strength she hadn’t felt in years filled her body. It wasn’t a struggle to breathe anymore. She stood to her feet with joy filling her heart.
Then she heard the words, “Who touched me?” In that instant, she knew that Jesus was talking about her. She heard one of the men that was near Jesus say, “Master, the crowd is huge. The people are thronging you continually. How can you say, ‘Who touched me?'”
Jesus answered, “Somebody touched me. I know that virtue, (healing) has gone out of me.”
The woman knew she had to tell all. Consequently, she made her way to the feet of Jesus and fell down in front of Him. With timid words she began to tell her story. The sickness. The rise and fall of hope with each physician, then the despair of knowing there was no hope. Her words grew more confident as she relayed how she had heard of the Master. The hope that once again had grown within her. She told of the struggle and determination that it had taken to get to this place. Then with an uplifted face, that was filled with joy she said, “When I touched the hem of your garment I felt the healing in my body.”
Jesus, with love and compassion, spoke these words that seemed to gather her to the heart of God:
“Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.”
Jesus Extends Help
The end result of this woman’s determination and faith in spite of the hopelessness and despair that dogged her footsteps was an encounter with Jesus.
You too, can find comfort at the feet of Jesus. Yes, there are troubles that bring despair. Emotions that overwhelm. There will be times when our hopes and dreams are dashed again and again. However, it is then we must determine that our only option is to get to Jesus. Hope and trust must reach out to the Master. He alone will meet the cry of our heart.
The circumstances most likely will not change, but the tender touch of our Savior can lodge deep within our soul. Above all, we must get to Jesus. After spending time in His presence we can face life with the knowledge that Jesus is the answer to the deep heartaches we face. It is Jesus that can solve our problems.
The lyrics of the song “Gotta Get to Jesus” that the Colllingsworth family sing minister deeply to our wounded and battered lives.
The song tells the story of this woman’s pain and her determination to get to Jesus. It goes on to make it personal to each of us as we are reminded of the heartaches that we face. Most importantly the song reminds us of the truth that we must take all of our needs to Jesus. Reach out in faith and touch Him.
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