Jesus Honors Desperation Wed With Faith Wed With Action!

In Mark 5, we read of more astounding miracles, but we want to focus especially on the woman who had suffered from a profuse menstrual bleeding condition for twelve (12) years and been bankrupted in the process by physicians who could not help her.  Therefore, we note the first element working mightily in this dear woman’s heart – Desperation!

Next we note that she determined in her heart that if she could but touch the ‘hem’ of Jesus’ garment (the tassel – the tzit-tzit on the corner of His prayer shawl or of His tunic) she would be healed.  [More information on the  biblical roots pr the tzi-tzit to follow.]  For now, we shall just mention that this was a commonly held belief among many of the Jewish people of the Second Temple Period, the time when Jesus was actively ministering.  We see an example of this in Matthew  14:35-36:  “And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to him all who were sick, and begged Him  that they might only touch the hem of His garment, and as many as touched it were made perfectly well.”  The people believed that the righteous rabbis and Pharisees among them would sometimes be given by God the power to heal, and this power so permeated their being that even their clothes became a “point of contact” with this divine healing power.  This poor, desperate woman exercised this second element so critical to her being healed – Faith!  Whether we agree with this or not, or whether or not we fully understand it, we must acknowledge that in this passage in Mark 5 that Jesus did, indeed, feel the healing power flow out of Him at the woman’s touch! – verse 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?’”  And so, we note the third element in this woman’s healing – Action!  She put her faith into action.  The Apostle James later would explain to us:  “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works (deeds), is dead. . . . Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works (his deeds, that is, his faith put into action!)” (James 2:17,18b).

Our next post: Jesus honors desperation wed with faith wed with action!

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Some Food for Thought ~

 “Our words reveal our thoughts.

            Our manners mirror our self-esteem.

                        Our actions reflect our character.

                                    Our habits predict the future.”

                                                                                                ~ William A. Ward