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.

How many times do we use the little but powerful phrase “if only” to describe a deep desire or want?  If only my boss would pay me more, then I could buy that newer car. If only my spouse would meet my needs, then I would be happier. If only. A woman with many years of menstrual pain and shame declares it because she desires healing. The parallel story in Mark hints that she is at a point of despair. Desperation propels her to take a step.

The woman has used up all her finances looking for a cure but to no avail. In fact, she had suffered at the hands of doctors that she visited (Mark 5:26).  Her condition had only worsened. In Jewish culture she would have been considered ceremonially unclean and therefore ostracized in her own community. Hence, the shame she must have felt.

But here she is approaching Jesus in the crowd from behind. Probably too ashamed to walk up directly to Him and ask for healing. Too ashamed to stop Jesus. The crowd provides anonymity, and she can stealthily approach Jesus, quickly touch His garment and be gone. No one would know. Surely, His garment holds power to heal, right?

She doesn’t grab His tunic and hang on. She simply touches the fringe and is at once healed, but Jesus knows someone touched His clothes and He turns around to find who did it. This doesn’t suggest people never touched Jesus, but this was different. The text suggests that Jesus stops and turns not because he felt the touch but because He knew power had gone out of Him (Mark 5:30).  

The garment didn’t heal her. The person in the garment did, Jesus. Yet, this simple step of faith of proclaiming that Jesus can heal even through His clothing and the actual action step of touching it, heals her and Jesus responds, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.”

Interestingly, the context of today’s scripture is imbedded in two other miracles – the raising of a dead child and healing of two blind men. In both cases, Jesus says that belief precedes the miracle He is about to do. “Do not be afraid: only believe” (Mark 5:36) and “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28). Faith precedes healing.

God can heal anyone, anytime that He chooses. Jesus heals multitudes in His earthly ministry because He is demonstrating the power bestowed on Him by the Heavenly Father to give witness that the Kingdom of God is at hand. In that Kingdom, healing of the body, soul, and mind are the outcome for the faithful who choose Jesus and trust in His Name. Jesus has power over sin, shame, and death. We may not see the full realization of those outcomes now, but we will when Jesus returns and establishes His kingdom on earth.

Jesus wants to heal us. His timing may be now, and He asks that we step forward in faith and ask to be healed. His timing may be delayed yet perfect because our infirmities may be an avenue for our faith and character to deepen our relationship with Him and help us to grasp the immensity of His grace, like Paul did (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).  Either way, Jesus draws us closer to Him when we reach out to Him in faith. He has the power to heal our afflictions, our addictions, and our narcissistic behaviors. Have you laid these things at the feet of Jesus and asked for deliverance from them? He beckons us to ask and believe.

I confess, Lord, that I am unbelieving at times. I can and have doubted that you will provide healing and it can prevent me from even asking. Strengthen my trust in your goodness and your love for me and others around me. May I step out in faith when I pray for others recognizing your power that went out to the afflicted woman is also available to us now. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.