LUKE 8:43-48 – And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

THEME OF THE DAY. HAVE YOU TOUCHED JESUS’ GARMENT RECENTLY? The woman was spent. The disease ravaged her. Not just her bank account, though that was gone. She was at the end of her rope emotionally, physically, spiritually, and relationally. She tried to find relief and healing in everything and everyone under the sun. All human means failed. She was done and desperate. And friends, she represents every human being whether they realize it or not. In her case, and it was all of grace, she realized it and ran to the only help possible – the Lord Jesus.

In the midst of life in this world, it is inevitable we will find ourselves like this woman with the blood disease. Oh, perhaps not physically, but certainly emotionally and spiritually. We are broken people. Sin has done that. It has wreaked devastating havoc in our world and in ourselves. Just look around and see the rampant evil and suffering in our culture. Look a little closer and see the carnage of dysfunctional human relationships all around us resulting from the sin of selfishness dominating hearts and rupturing families, friends, even churches. There is not a single human being not touched with sin’s destructive power. And one of its most destructive displays is the human attempt to “fix ourselves.” We do this in many ways; sensual pleasures, drugs, busyness, achievements, relationships, entertainment, vocations, activity . . . we may go on and on with all the futile ways we seek to satisfy ourselves, heal our longing for purpose and meaning in life, and be contented. None delivers. None comes through for us. King Solomon tried them all – money, power, sensuality, entertainment, education, and this is what he concluded, “Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:11).

So, along with King Solomon’s vain experience and the example of the woman in today’s scripture, we need to ask two questions if we hope to find healing in our lives. First, are we at the point of desperation believing nothing or no one apart from Jesus Christ may heal our hurting souls, soothe our aching hearts, and satisfy our deepest longings for meaning, purpose and contentment in life? If not, then we cannot proceed to the second question. But hopefully, we have, and if so, we ask the question of today’s nugget – “Have you touched Jesus’ garment recently?” That is what it took for the woman to be healed and it will take that for us also. Now obviously, we are not talking literally, but spiritually and that through a diligence in His Word and prayer. Have we arrived to the point we cry, “Nothing but Jesus can help me” and take that cry to a pursuit of Him as revealed in His Word and prayer? If we do, then, like the woman, we will experience the healing power of not only our “touch” of Him, but His on us!

PRAYER: “Father, help me to see my desperate need of Your Son that draws me to Him with greater earnestness.”

QUOTE: “God will often use deep pain, affliction, and suffering to show us how much we need His Son”