Touching the Hem

Walking with Jesus: On the West Bank of the Sea of Galilee
Mark 5:25-34; Luke 842b-48: Jesus heals the woman with a hemorrhage

I love The Message version of Luke...
Jesus went with him, making his way through the pushing, jostling crowd. 43 In the crowd that day there was a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted with hemorrhages. She had spent every penny she had on doctors but not one had been able to help her. 44 She slipped in from behind and touched the edge of Jesus' robe. At that very moment her hemorrhaging stopped. 45 Jesus said, "Who touched me?" When no one stepped forward, Peter said, "But Master, we've got crowds of people on our hands. Dozens have touched you." 46 Jesus insisted, "Someone touched me. I felt power discharging from me." 47 When the woman realized that she couldn't remain hidden, she knelt trembling before him. In front of all the people, she blurted out her story - why she touched him and how at that same moment she was healed. 48 Jesus said, "Daughter, you took a risk trusting me, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed!"

Jesus was in a large crowd. There were many people "touching" Him but there is such a difference in just touching someone or touching someone with all the faith in the world. As a woman, I can't imagine what this woman went through those twelve years. Did all the people call her by her given name or when they spoke of her did they just call her the woman with a hemorrhage and everyone would know who they were talking about? She had tried everything, had spent all she had to find healing. I'm sure during these twelve years, she must have physically felt awful. I'm sure the town she lived in didn't want to have anything to do with her because they probably thought it was catching. Do you think she heard them "talking" about her? I wonder how did her family treat her.

This got me thinking about my own life. I too have "tried everything" to get healthy. Every program there is I probably have tried it. I know how cruel people can be because of my weight issue. I have heard them talk and laugh and call me names. I deal with that just about everyday at work from people who go to church! So I can relate big time with this woman who had the hemorrhage (oh how I wish I knew her name).

On the other hand, my family loves me but just wants me to be healthy. They have been nothing but supportive. Example of this support was a few weeks ago when I had to tell Kristen I couldn't run the race with her in May. You had to sign up before the first of December and I knew that this process of me getting healthy was taking longer than I had wanted it to. That was a sad day for me to have to tell her I wouldn't be running with her.

But sometime this summer I told her I would have my own mini marathon. Here is my new plan...from our house to our farm is about 13 miles. So my plan is to run from our house to the farm. Now here is where I get teary eyed. Kristen said, "Mom when you are ready to run it, I will run it with you". She couldn't have said anything more meaningful to me. As a mother, that is something I would ponder in my heart as long as I live. I'm going to believe, like me, this woman with the hemorrhage had someone special in her life that was helping her through this difficult time. And as I keep going through this process I will continue Touching His Hem as I keep Walking with My Jesus....