The One Who Can

But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” 47 When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. 48 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

Luke 8:46 (NLT)

"Someone deliberately touched me"

Jesus was on his way to heal a little girl and there was a crowd of people pushing to see him, but he allowed himself to be interrupted.

Oh God! Let the challenges I face drive me into your presence.

"for I felt the healing power go out from me."  

Many were touching Jesus, but SHE touched him and received healing. It wasn't an intentional act of his will to release healing to her, He felt power go out from him. He is the healer, it is a part of his identity. He didn't have to choose to heal her, she accessed a part of his identity by touching him in faith. In fact he tells her that her faith is what has healed her. There is a transaction that happens when we have faith and reach out to him. His power overflows to us. 

Let your power overflow to me.

"When the woman realized she could not stay hidden"  

She wanted to stay hidden. She was an outcast and unclean. She had suffered for 12 years looking for a cure and had not been successful. The thought of being seen, exposed and known brought fear and trembling. 

I'm done with hiding. Nothing I have tried has made me well.

"The whole crowd heard her explain why she touched him and that she had been immediately healed"

From trembling knees, with a quaking voice she told them WHY she had touched him. She KNEW she was healed. 

Heal me.

"Daughter"

Oh! The kindness of his heart as he spoke to her. Nowhere else in the New Testament does Jesus refer to anyone as daughter. He confirmed that SHE BELONGED.

Receive me as your child.

“your faith has made you well." 

Her faith drove her to move past the fear of humiliation, the criticism of others, and her own exhaustion and disappointment because she BELIEVED he could make her well.

I believe you can make me well.

"Go in peace."

More than just a physical healing, he blessed her with a new future.

Give me a new future and new hope!

The story is about more than THIS woman and HER healing, it’s about what happens in us AND in him when we come to him for restoration. It’s about finding the courage to pursue him even when we are depleted and weary. It’s about boldness and testimony when we are still trembling and afraid. It’s about the tenderness and concern he feels for us in our suffering and our position as sons and daughters. 

And this is about the supernatural power of faith. The whole crowd was touching him and received nothing, but she touched him in faith and received everything. Like this woman, we might feel like the things we have faced have depleted and ruined us. It might feel impossible to gather enough strength to even brush the hem of his garment with our fingertips. But we have within us the life changing power of faith. Our faith can move the mountains, whether they are formed of trauma, need or fear. Our faith can empower us to face things that are bigger than we have imagined.  Our faith can restore the things that have been stolen. But it’s not just about having faith…

We believe in the ONE who CAN.