| 18While he was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before him and said, "My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live." 19Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples. 20Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed." 22Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment. 23When Jesus entered the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, 24he said, "Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him. 25After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. 26News of this spread through all that region. Its interesting that as Jesus is speaking about the timing of things a time has come for him to demonstrate this principal that there is a time for everything. A time to encounter Jesus. One will be a little girl. Another will be an older woman.
For the first it seems time has run out. the father of the girl says she is dead but he believes that if Jesus touches her she will be brought back to life. everyone is sure she is dead and the funeral music is already playing. Jesus sees something else...that she is only sleeping. people laugh at him. Indeed she is brought back to life when Jesus touches her.
For the second it seems all she has is time. time full of ailment. for twelve years she was bleeding and no one could help her. waiting, hoping, hurting. nothing. then she hears Jesus has come to town and believes that if she could just touch the edge of his cloak she will be healed. nobody notices when she does this little thing. Jesus notices. Indeed she is healed completely when she touches Jesus.
Different walks of life, different times in life. They both encounter Jesus. One thing unites and transforms them both: faith in Jesus in the face of impossible circumstances.
The girl is dead. its too late. impossible for anything to change. The woman has been bleeding for twelves years. nothing has worked, might as well give up. impossible for anything to change.
believing in Christ, in just even a touch from Him, in the face of seemingly insurmountable situations is faith.
do we have such faith? do i have such faith?
Lord, i do believe, help me overcome my unbelief! T-3 days till wedding.
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