In Mark 5, we read about a woman who had a blood disease for 12 years. As we study this scripture, we can learn many things.
Mark 5:25-34
25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”
29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”
31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’”
32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”
Jesus called this woman daughter.
Isaiah 62:11
11 Indeed the Lord has proclaimed
To the end of the world:
“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Surely your salvation is coming;
Behold, His reward is with Him,
And His work before Him.’”
Why did Jesus call her “daughter?”
She had been forsaken. She totally believed that she lived under a curse. She was separated from her people. Women with an issue of blood were unclean according to the Old Testament. When you were unclean, you weren’t allowed to go to the Temple. You weren’t allowed to give offerings. If someone touched you, they had to wash themselves and they were considered unclean until evening. People stayed away from you when you were unclean. (Leviticus 15:25-31)
The Israelites took this very seriously. Can you imagine how much persecution she went through? But she put her hope in money and doctors. Then she spent all of her money to become clean and nothing worked. She lost all hope.
When she heard about Jesus, she knew that He was her last hope. She didn’t have faith to move the mountains. She only had enough faith to reach out to Jesus. That was her last hope. Jesus saw her desperation. She didn’t get healed because she touched Jesus’ garment. She got healed because Jesus was her last hope.
When Jesus called her daughter, He healed her reputation as well as her body. Jesus saw her desperation. He saw her desperation as faith. So Jesus called her daughter. He showed her that He accepted her. He restored her life, her reputation.
When we come to the place where Jesus is our last hope, everything will change.
It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or who you’ve been. When you come to Jesus with a desperate heart, He can restore your life, your reputation, your hope. He can restore your life.
God bless you,
Pastor Sun Hui East
This woman’s issue was unclean because of the issue of blood. But we are all unclean in our own issues. Lord God please give me the prayer of desperation. Thank You Pastor East.