Posted by This spoken word is taken from the story of the woman who had a health issue where she had been bleeding for 12 years. She found healing by touching the cloak of Jesus which in itself would have crossed all sorts of religious and cultural lines, as with the condition of bleeding, she would have been permanently, ceremonially unclean. Her faith made her well, and Jesus did not turn her away, rather acknowledged her healing and restoration. The story is found in Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, Luke 8:43-48. It is a beautiful story that highlights Jesus’ desire to meet everyone’s needs – crossing all boundaries of culture and tradition. His compassion and love for people was always evident.
I had a good life before my devastating illness
Everything was together, whole and life made sense.
Family
Community
Worship…
I had a place, I had identity
I was known, greeted, acknowledged
And loved.
I felt worth and belonging
But then it was…
ALL
STRIPPED
AWAY.
I never asked to be sick
I never planned to have this problem
It wasn’t on my to-do list for life
This bleeding had become worse
And it plagued me year-after-year
I was tired
I was lost, unclean – according to everyone I met
I was an outcast
No place
I lost who I really was.
My identity was caught up in what others thought of me.
I couldn’t go to the temple,
Even my place of worship, was now out-of-bounds.
I had lost family, friends,
Community was broken
Oh how I yearned for human touch and communion
What I would do for a hug!
You see, I was ceremonially an outcast
I was banished
And what was so painful about it was,
It wasn’t my fault or plan
I had heart of this man
This enigma
This amazing man of miracles
I heard the blind could see, lame could walk
And even the dead had been raised!
I heard how much He loved people
Some say even prostitutes and tax collectors were welcomed by Him
Who was He?
To read the very heart of everyone He met?
To break through the exterior, to reveal the heart.
My plan was in place, he was coming near,
I knew in my heart that He could heal me.
He had done it for others, why not me?!
The crowd pressed in
I tried to get close
But I kept getting shoved aside
My plan was fading
One last hope, one last effort.
If only I could touch His cloak
That would be enough!
That would be enough!
That would be enough – I kept repeating to myself.
The crowd paused
I was on my hands and knees, with dirt in my face.
At the feet of Jesus.
I had crawled my way there
Determined, hopeful, desperate.
I reached…and my fingers felt the linen slip over my skin
And…I felt warmth, I felt alive!
I felt well and whole!
Something was different.
I tried to slip away but just as the crowd had pressed in with no way to Jesus,
It now pressed me in with no way of escape.
I started to panic
His voice pierced my soul
“Who touched me?”
Oh no, He knows I am unclean
Have I made Him unclean?
Will he be upset? Rebuke me? Send me away?
Have I stepped over the line?
A woman
An unclean woman
Touching my Lord.
He turned around
But no…His face spoke tenderness, compassion and love.
He gently told me my faith had made me well
His eyes told me I am worthy and whole again.
I stared at Him in disbelief
I am whole
His power transferred to me
His grace and healing was now mine.
I cried with Jesus
I now have a future – a place, position.
My family can be mine again.
I can return to the temple, and the marketplace
I will be known again!
Except this time my identity is now with Jesus
The man who freed me, made me clean.
You see, for you and me, we are all unclean
We are all bound up by sin, broken and desperate outcasts.
With Satan’s lies for our identity
We cannot make ourselves better or clean.
We cannot reinstate ourselves to God
Only Jesus
Only at the feet of Jesus
Can we receive healing for our soul
His forgiveness and life transferred to us
His healing power becomes ours
His freedom…ours
His life…ours
So, touch the cloak
Just touch our Redeemer
Crawl to Him, He will not turn you away.
Feel His presence fill your broken soul
Feel His power through every bone, muscle and sinew
Healing
Redeeming
Making us clean
Come to His feet today
Touch His cloak
Life by the Word 