Mk.5:20-22 – And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: for she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
This poor woman who had suffered miserably for twelve years was just about to receive a whole new life. She was going to be healed, not only would she receive a physical healing, she was about to gain a whole new life. Jesus told her that her faith had made her whole. He was describing a spiritual renewal as well as a physical healing. Here is what Adam Clarke said about this.
“Be whole of thy plague. Rather, continue whole, not, be whole, for she was already healed: but this contains a promise, necessary to her encouragement, that her disorder should afflict her no more.”
One of the things that stand out in this story was the crowds of people pressing in around Jesus, many touching Him but apparently nothing happened. It has always been like that, like Augustine said, “Few are they who by faith touch him; multitudes are they who throng about him”. It is sadly the same way today, many may go to church or claim to be a Christian and even believe in the power of God, but never really touch Him by faith and never receive the life changing touch this woman received. Touch Him by faith and new life surges through you.
So maybe you are discouraged, waiting for your answered prayer or spiritual breakthrough for a long time, you feel like you have tried everything and nothing works. Jerome describes this dilemma in his comments.
“The woman with the hemorrhage had spent all that she had on doctors. Hungering and thirsting, her spirit had died within her. Having lost everything she possessed, because her life was wasting away within her, she cried out to the Lord in anguish. Her touch on the hem of his garment was the cry of a believing heart. In this she is the figure of the assembly of God gathered from all nations.”
Desperation seems to be connected to faith and the touch of God. Rather than letting delays discourage you let them fire a passion in you that results in crying out to God. One touch and you enter into a brand new world.
