Scared, frustrated, desperate…she must have felt all of these as she approached the crowd. She didn’t belong. She knew that because this had been repeated over and over to her for years. It had been drilled into her. She was aware no one wanted her around. She had spent all her money and she wasn’t sure why she was even be there. Why not give up? But this was her life. This was where she found herself. She hadn’t chosen this path, it had chosen her. And it was ruining her. She wasn’t welcome in worship. She wasn’t welcome in other people’s homes. She wasn’t welcome anywhere. It was a lonely existence. Just one more try. Just one more effort. She wanted to give it what little she had left. She believed if she could just get the energy, but mostly the courage, it would work out. This would be the difference. This would be the time that would change everything.
When we read about people, we forget they have stories. We tend to forget that they have backgrounds and situations that have brought them to this place. In this case, we don’t know exactly what she has felt. But we can imagine the isolation. We can imagine the loneliness. It is as if she has been forgotten. And many can relate to feeling forgotten. There are many that have felt unwelcome, unloved, dismissed, and discarded. Many have felt as though this was the end. But this woman had the courage to get up and try one more time.
I am talking about a story of a woman that had suffered with a disease for 12 long years. Having spent all her money and given everything she had, she was still where she started, if not worse. With her situation, she would not be allowed in worship. She was unclean. She would not be welcome. She should not have been in the crowd that day. She wanted to keep it quiet. But she wanted to simply touch Jesus’ coat. Just to touch it would be enough. She could touch it and go home and no one would notice. Only it didn’t happen that way because Jesus felt her touch. His compassion was so powerful that her touch brought up something in him that made him seek her out. She thought she was in trouble, but she was being seen in a good way for the first time. She thought she would have been scorned, but she was instead loved. As important as the healing was the love. Jesus saw her. It wasn’t in a disgusted way. It wasn’t in a way of pity. It wasn’t in a dismissive way. He saw his child, his beloved. And she was changed.
Hear this…you are seen. You are loved. Whatever your situation, whatever your place in this world, you are not forgotten. You are beautiful. You are courageous. You are God’s child. May his compassion overwhelm you. May you receive cleansing to enable you to move forward. Pick your head up, beloved. God sees you.
Focus Scripture:
Mark 5:24-34
And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. 25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. 26 She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” 29 Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 He looked all around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery. Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery
SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY 