Don’t give up!
Although it has been mentioned, it must be restated - Don’t give up! If you are like me, you have wanted to throw the towel in every so-often. If you are like most people you have wanted to walk away just when a break-through was about to take place. Ever feel this way? Life gets you in a corner, and you are taking every jab, uppercut, and shuffle-punch that life throws at you - and it feels as if every shot is landing, and they are all in the face. Seriously, how much are we supposed to take?
Jesus took it all so you wouldn’t have to. It definitely does not mean life won’t throw those jabs - and even land some - what it means is we can be of good courage, since we know He (Jesus) has overcome the world (see John 16:33). Trauma still happens, pain is just around the corner, and other things we dread and perhaps even fear may happen to us or those we love. How can we keep pressing forward in the knowledge of what I just penned?
Don’t give up! Keep fighting the good fight, keep running the race, keep saying to the past trauma - I won’t quit, you will never defeat me!
The woman who had an encounter with Jesus in the crowd, she was suffering from a flow of blood for twelve-years (Can you even imagine?) she suffered not only with the blood flow, and the laws of uncleanness of that day where she was unclean and anyone who touched her became unclean, and anything she sat upon would also be unclean, she suffered at the hands of others, physicians - she spent all she had but only grew worse.
When she saw Jesus in the crowd (she wasn’t supposed to be in that crowd, but she was desperate to feel better, and she exhausted everything else so she got desperate to get better). When she saw Jesus in that crowd, she thought to herself- “If only I can touch the hem of His garment”
She did not give up, she refused to be labeled and identified as her worst suffering by those who knew her, those who couldn’t help or perhaps didn’t want to help. She didn’t want to walk around for another twelve-years with the same issues - she was probably anemic at this time as well - ever thought about the implication of such blood flow for that length of time? She was told by the culture and society of the day that she was unclean, unworthy, ostracized from those she loved, and she probably didn’t feel hopeful much of the time
In steps Jesus. If only; she thought - I can touch the hem of His very garment - I can be normal, I can be clean, I can be made well. So, she touched Jesus and immediately the source of the flow of her blood was dried up and she was made well.
What about us today? Have we spent all on counselors, medical specialists, and others who really could not help? Have we grown worse in our symptoms from trauma that we just need to touch the very hem of the garment that this woman touched?
When we get to the end of our resources - Jesus is still there, next to you, beckoning for you to come to Him, He still gives perfect rest, and is more than able to heal the trauma. Are you more than willing to go to Him in your desperation?
When Jesus knew that power had gone out of Him, He asked “Who touched Me?” although the crowd was thronging around Him, and the disciples were like, “Lord, look at this crowd all around You, and yet You are asking who touched You” (Luke 8:45, paraphrase)? Jesus continued to look around, and then this woman approached Him, afraid to be found out, terrified, and she came before Him and falling down before Him- she told Jesus how she had been healed.
What an amazing and miraculous narrative here. It does not end there, let me give you two-thoughts to consider.
She knew she was not hidden from the Lord. In Luke 8:47 she was trembling where she realized she was ‘found out’ and she came to Jesus again, this time on her knees and confessing what had happened to the Lord and before the people.
Jesus looks at the woman with compassion. Although the text does not indicate this in those words, note the expression from Jesus to her - “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well, go in peace” (Luke 8:48, NKJV). This shows His compassion, and it shows the crowd His compassion also.
In James 5:16 we read, “Confess your faults (sins) to one another, and pray for one another that you may be healed”. The woman confessed to Jesus that it was her who touched Him, and she was made well. She was healed from that moment on.
What about you and I? Are we so desperate yet, that we have tried everything else but touching the proverbial hem of the garment of Jesus? What else do you have to lose? He is still waiting, He is still there and ever-present help in time of trouble and need (see in part Psalm 46:1)
Don’t allow fear to stop you from entering into His presence!
Don’t allow the culture to push you back from His presence!
Don’t give in to the thought process that you are unclean or unworthy - Jesus wants to make you clean!
Don’t Give Up!
How are you doing with this? Be blessed and consider these words today.
Luke 8:43-48