She was exhausted all the time. The pain was unbearable yet the worst was the shunning. Was it her illness that zapped her energy or the painful loneliness?She spent her days trapped in her home, a home that she had loved at one time it now was the prison walls that held her.
She longed to be with people. Hugs, smiles, real smiles, not the passer by who fakes it she could see the pity in their eyes as the walked past her door. She longed to be touched by loving hands.
Twelve years, twelve long agenizing years. She had seen all the healers and none of them helped her. She wondered how much longer. . . . how much?
When she heard the talk of a great healer, of this Jesus, she knew that He was the one. He could heal her. She dressed as not to be recognized. Carefully making her way through the crowd her heart raced. Maybe just to see Him. I could possibly ask Him if I could get close enough. He will heal me she thought with all her heart. Her hand trembled as she reached through the crowd for Him. She touched His robe. Just a touch is all I needed she thought as she felt her body grow stronger.
At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?""You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?' "But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
He knew before He turned who had touched Him, He freed her from the painful bondage of her illness. She was no longer unclean.
I can’t read this without falling in love with her. Her faith amazes me.She had lived in seclusion for twelve years. We all need our quiet moments at times but twelve years of life alone is maddening. Her only hope must have been that the next painful cure would work until. . .Jesus.
2 comments:
He is amazing. Thank you, Milly.
I had never thought about how she would have been shunned, but sure. The Jews would teach that she must be. Awful.
Praise the Lord, the law of love never taught Jesus to shun us.
Nice Post Milly,
I never really thought about her in this way.
...dang! I sound like codepoke's parrot.
-Doug
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