Mark 5: 24-34

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. ²⁵ And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. ²⁶ She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. ²⁷ When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, ²⁸ because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” ²⁹ Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

³⁰ At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

³¹ “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

³² But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. ³³ Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. ³⁴ He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Most of us know this account of the woman who’d suffered for twelve years with some sort of bleeding disorder. Yesterday as I was rewatching The Chosen episode that features this woman, a thought occurred to me–one that I’d like to share with you.

Jesus was so kind and loving to her after she’d touched him for the purpose of healing. He even called her daughter–the only recorded time he’d used that term. He could have had a different reaction. After all, she hadn’t approached him, hadn’t asked him to heal her. But he was pleased with her. Pleased that she showed the kind of faith he wants each of us to have.

It occurred to me as I watched the episode that each of us have that same opportunity every day. All we need do is touch the hem of his garment to be healed. I’m not talking about physical healing, of course that can happen as well, but I’m talking about spiritual healing.

Jesus wants us to trust him enough that all we need do is touch the hem of his garment to receive what he freely offers us–his free gift of salvation. A gift that includes much more than the promise of heaven in the next life. HIs gift includes peace and joy in this life as well–something that many believers fail to receive.

I’m very sad for those who for whatever reason fail to accept all of Jesus’ amazing gift of salvation. But it’s there waiting for each of us at any time–all we need do is touch his hem with faith.