A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.
“Who touched me?"Jesus asked.
Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.”
But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
Luke 8:43-48 New Living Translation (NLT)
When faced with a chronic illness, it can be difficult to focus on anything but relieving the pain. We seek help from doctors and some even try different forms of self-healing. As the old adage says: "When you've tried everything else, try Jesus!" Our Savior is a Healer. He can ease the pain and even stop the pain. It is our faith in His power that makes this work. If we doubt this, there's no use in trying. Doubt chases away our faith.
The woman in these verses suffered many, many years. One touch and she was healed. This story is told in three of the Gospels (Mark, Matthew, and Luke). Luke was a gentile physician and his recounting of this miracle came with medical knowledge as well as belief in the power of God in Christ. Because Luke did not actually walk with Jesus, the entire book of Luke was inspired by God through his research and written by faith. Sometimes we just have to recognize God at work without actually seeing Him work. God has left enough evidence to help us believe and all He asks is that we do it by faith in Him.
What we must do in response to how God chooses to heal is trust His way of healing. This woman bled for 12 years! Many would ask the question: "Why so long?" Maybe it's because God was preparing a way for many people to see this happen and believe. If we follow Christ to the Kingdom of God, we will be able to ask Him for ourselves for He promises that there we will live with Him forever. He also promises that no one will ever experience pain again. And God never breaks a promise.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:4 NIV
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