When we struggle with illness for an extended length of time or when we battle sin and unforgiveness, we often do the wrong thing. But sometimes we have the strength to go against the crowd, to crawl to Jesus’ feet and beg Him to cleanse and forgive us. We need enough faith to trust Him with our whole being—body and soul.
Jesus made His way to the home of a synagogue leader whose daughter was sick and dying. Jesus can easily multitask. But He also had the time and compassion to heal the woman with the issue of blood while on the way.
Today, we comprehend little of how life was when Jesus walked on earth. The woman whom Jesus talked to and whom He called daughter had health issues, bleeding issues, for twelve years. For twelve years, she announced in a loud voice, “Unclean. Unclean.” Everywhere she went, she had to let people know about her humiliation.
At this time in history, a woman was separated from others for a time every month as unclean. However, this woman had been separated for over a decade. She was not allowed to enter the villages or interact with people. If she had a family, she wasn’t allowed to see them, hold them, or even touch them because she was unclean. She was always alone.
Yet this woman fought her way through the crowd to Jesus, whom she had heard about. She touched His garment and experienced healing. His power healed what medicine at that time could not. He called her His daughter and changed her life.
No matter your issue, get to Jesus. Crawl if you must. He is never too busy or distracted. He knows where you are and what you need. You are never too unclean.
Susan Paulus is the mother of three adult daughters and grandmother to nine and has been married for over 60 years. She loves her part-time job at her small church in Northwest Ohio, is challenged by the two writers' groups she attends, and loves remembering she was led to the Lord in the mid 1970's by a woman who prayed, "Lord, use me."