Your Faith Has Healed You

Luke 8:40-48

⁴⁰ Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.⁴¹ And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus' feet, he implored him to come to his house, ⁴² for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. ⁴³ And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians,she could not be healed by anyone. ⁴⁴ She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. ⁴⁵ And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” ⁴⁶ But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” ⁴⁷ And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. ⁴⁸ And he said to her,“Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

This is the story of a woman who is resolute to cross the boundaries and barriers of what was culturally acceptable, legitimate behavior to gain access to the divine power she believed, without question, would, in fact, heal her. This woman had been dealing with the same issue for twelve years, she had seen every doctor available to her and taken every type of medication offered to her. She had bankrupt herself to be healed. She then became resolved to touch just the edge of Jesus garment. The woman KNEW that if she could do that she would be healed. 

Her opportunity came in the midst of a crowd, while Jesus was on his way somewhere else. She came up behind him, hoping (in my opinion) to go unnoticed. And touched the fringe of Jesus' clothes. This next part I find almost comical. In the bustle of the crowd Jesus asks who touched him. Well, probably a lot of people had brushed up against him-- it is a crowd! However, he knew that some who had touched him had released some of his power into their lives. The poor, sick woman could not go unnoticed. Her faith made her well...

Jesus puts himself where people who need to be healed are; so, we can reach out and touch him. He didn't avoid the crowd, he wasn't surrounded by his disciples to dodge the touch of sick and needy people... he was there in their presence, awaiting to be touched. He was waiting for the one who would cross the boundary if socially acceptable behavior to touch him in faith. 

Will we cross the boundaries of what is socially and culturally normal to receive our healing from Christ? For most of us, probably not... It is easier to sit in a pew and act like everything is fine. It is easier to deny our need for help, healing and deliverance than it is to admit we need a touch from Christ, that we need our brothers and sisters to help us. Do we KNOW that he is still in the healing business? Not really, we think theologically and philosophically that, yes, it is true that Christ can heal. However, we doubt that he will heal us. We have been dealing with the same junk for years upon years upon years and have no real knowledge that Christ's ministry is still to proclaim good news to the poor, give liberty to the captives, recover sight to the blind, and freedom to the oppressed. 

Do I have that knowledge yet? No, not yet. However, I am trying. I have it in my head and can give the right answer, but I do not have it in my heart yet.