Matthew 9:20-22 " And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well."
Our God is REACHABLE!! No matter how crowded it can get, if we are willing to put out our hand in faith we will find that "His Garment" is accessible. The garment of Jesus was typically one of the Jewish attire, just as that of any other Israelite. It was inclusive of the tassels on the corners which consummated the law (Numbers 15:38-39 "Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner.And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them...") To the hurting woman the hem of Jesus' garment represented the fulfillment of all the commandments that she knew she'd not been able to fulfill. After all, she'd been "ceremonially unclean" for twelve years until then and could not be declared as clean until she had made an offering for the cleansing which would require at least 7 days of not discharging any blood.
The woman recognized her need to get in touch with Jesus because she believed that if she would ONLY touch His garment she would be made well. Physical wellness, a sense of wholeness and well-being is most often a motive for reaching out to God. The sick and hurting have been known to throng to places that are great distances away and to experts that are almost unbearably unaffordable, just to receive healing in their bodies. But this woman had realized that her HEALING is both accessible and available at the stretching forth of her hand in faith. To the one who believes that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of ALL the commandments and that His garment (His righteousness) can bring salvation, their faith can and does relieve them of bodily suffering and restores them to perfect health (Romans 10:4 "Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.")
The stigma that would have been attached to the disease the woman was carrying around for twelve years is at best unimaginable. She had to have been looked down upon for her "ceremonial uncleanness" by the society at large. We may be considered as outcast in the midst of our own people because of our circumstances and maybe people don't want us near them for fear of contagiously acquiring our situation. It might be that we have reached out to people but haven't found anyone who would want to take our hand or may be we have feared soiling others with our distasteful past and so have steered clear of them. But if we come into CONTACT with the "Living Word" we are purified. Jesus, 'The Word who became flesh' cleanses us from every defilement through His Word (John 15:3 "You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.") Our spotlessness matters to Him because we are His dwelling place and He is the "Temple Cleanser" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 " Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.")
Twelve years of "Haemorrhoissa"- continuous menstruation would mean that for the entirety of that period she was unable to conceive a child. Her identity as a woman with child-bearing abilities was compromised. Her fertility was masked by her physical condition. We may possess the potential to be productive in something specific but if there is a constant outflow of our time and energy into other causes we are hindered from conceiving God's purposed gifts for us. But today, if we are ready to reach out and experience the tangible presence of God in our lives and CONNECT with Him in faith, He is ready heal us of our infirmity and end barrenness in our lives (Exodus 23:25-26 "You shall serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.")
Are we prepared to blindly reach our in faith and touch the hem of Christ's Garment? (Mark 5:56 "..And as many as touched it were made well.") His Righteousness is easily accessible and available. Let's Put our hands in the hands of the Man from Galilee.
God Bless.
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