Theme: Rethink: Faith and Doubt
Weekend Music links on iTunes: Hosanna (Praise is Rising) - Brenton Brown, Let God Arise - Chris Tomlin, From the Inside Out - Hillsong, Lead Me to the Cross - Hillsong
Read: Mark 5:24-34
Think: On his way to heal a centurion’s daughter, Jesus was interrupted by a woman. Unannounced and as discreetly as possible, she approached Jesus with the intent to touch his clothes. There were a great many people surrounding Jesus on the dusty road, all wanting to witness or experience a miracle. This woman was no exception. However, Jesus singles her out because of one exceptional characteristic she possessed- her faith.
This woman suffered from some kind of bleeding ailment that had stricken her for the previous 12 years. She not only suffered physically from this sickness, but socially as well, because she was considered unclean and a social outcast of that day. In an exhausting cycle of hope and disappointment, “she had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.” Maybe you can relate. Maybe you have put your hope in many things, only to experience disappointment and loss.
With the last bit of energy and courage she had left, she did the unthinkable. She did not wait and ask to be healed; she just took it for herself. Maybe she was afraid to ask. Maybe she thought she could “sneak a healing”. Most certainly, she was afraid of the laws that condemned her of being unclean and unworthy of Jesus’ touch. But her courage trumped her fear and she reached out to touch God.
Jesus immediately knew… that in the throngs of pushing people, he’d just been touched by a faith-filled woman. Trembling with fear, she reticently admitted the brazen act, expecting some kind of scolding and public scorn.
Jesus rewarded her with, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” He healed her physically, referred to her as family, set her back in society’s good standing, and gave her the credit for it all. That’s just so Jesus.
Do: Take a risk and approach Jesus with the things that you are struggling with.
Pray: Jesus, sometimes fear keeps me from you, but I want to have the courage to come to you with everything in my life. I submit to your healing touch.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.