Women of Note in the New Testament
57
This woman had been ill for many years. The physicians could not
help her, but she believed that if she could touch Jesus she would be
healed.
Open the door of your heart, and Christ, the heavenly guest, will
come in.... You may have a nominal faith, just such a faith as the people
had who crowded about Jesus in the streets of Judea, but this faith will
not connect you with Him. You need a faith similar to the faith of the
poor woman who had been diseased for many years. She had sought
help from the physicians, but her disease grew worse and worse. She
heard of Christ, and her faith went out to Him. She believed that if she
could only touch the hem of His garment she would be made whole.
Christ understood the longing of her heart; He understands the desire
of every heart that is drawn out after Him, and He responds to it. This
poor woman who yearned after help improved her first opportunity to
come into the presence of Jesus. The multitude were all about Him,
but she pressed through the crowd, until she could touch His garment,
and that moment she was healed. Christ realized that virtue had gone
out of Him. The woman had felt her desperate need, and her faith had
[64]
made her whole. So it will be with every one of you who go in your
need to Jesus and lay hold upon Him by living faith.
Christ asked who touched Him. His disciples were astonished that
He should ask such a question when He was surrounded by a great
multitude. They said, “Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and
sayest thou, Who touched me?” But Jesus knew that somebody had
touched Him with no casual touch, but with the touch of faith. A
longing soul had reached out to Him for help which no one but He
could give. Jesus said, “I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.” And
he looked round about to see her that had done this thing,” and when
the woman knew she was not hid, she acknowledged the good work
that had been wrought in her. She told the story of her suffering and
her hopeless condition, and her act of faith in touching His garment.
He said unto her, “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole.”—
The
Signs of the Times, June 10, 1889
.
Peter’s Mother-in-Law
This chapter is based on
Matthew 8:14, 15
.