Faith Found a Way

I remember while attending Trinity Western University, a speaker came to chapel and, with passion and grace, spoke about the woman with the issue of blood found in both Mark 5:24-34 and Luke 8:42-48. An interesting choice for a university crowd, but she had a purpose, and I am convinced the Holy Spirit led her! I do not recall the entire message, but what stood out to me was her delivery and conviction. What impacted me the most was her willingness to meet with me and have a coffee in the lower caf. She took time for me! I had questions for her, I had issues going on in my life, and she listened with intention. She did not brush me off, and she could have easily. She spoke life into my little Sandee world with grace, love and layered with wisdom.

The message she shared, although so long ago I don’t recall all the details, was all about faith. The woman in these passages was stricken with a constant blood flow for twelve years. She had suffered greatly and had seen many doctors and spent all her money with no healing. In fact, in Mark 5, 26 it tells us that the situation actually worsened.

This woman had heard about Jesus, as many had at that time, and knew that in her hopelessness, she needed to take a leap of faith and, despite the crowds, people jeering at her or avoiding her at all costs, reach out and try to be seen, heard and healed. She did just that; she reached out to touch the hem of his garment.

Jesus was well aware of her needs before she even entered the crowd. He knew that power had left him, and when he questioned who it was, the disciples around him were likely quite surprised by that response, given the number of people who surrounded him at the moment. It could have been anyone! But he knew! Jesus already had a plan for her, just as he does for you and me.

Look at verse 32-34,

 

^“And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

He called her daughter.

She fell before him and told him the TRUTH! I can imagine the scene with all the onlookers shaking their heads, wondering if she would be chastised, and it was the exact opposite! Jesus called her daughter and told her that her faith had healed her and to go in peace. Wow!

What a powerful passage to share with a university crowd back in the ’90s. I stayed with me. Not only did this speaker speak truth and remind us of the power of our faith in Jesus, but she also took the time to be with me to be heard and seen. She was a living testimony of the power of Christ in her life and was willing to share it with me.

What a wonderful reminder for me today to look for these opportunities to intentionally spend time with others, to be Christ’s hands and feet, to take that leap of faith and trust that he will lead you when you let him! Faith found a way for this woman, and it can for us to.

 

²⁵ And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, ²⁶ and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. ²⁷ She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. ²⁸ For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” ²⁹ And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. ³⁰ And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” ³¹ And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” ³² And he looked around to see who had done it. ³³ But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell 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 disease.” Mark 5:25-34

 

Gospel message from Got Questions is a great place to begin today!

 

Fun note I am off to my 3oth reunion for TWU this weekend! If you are looking for a great school check out TWU!

He is faithful! KingsPorch – Faithfull Still (Official Video)