89. Jesus Restores and Heals

LINK: Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:21-43, Luke 8:40-56

BACKGROUND

89. Jesus restores a girl to life and heals a bleeding woman: Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:21-43, Luke 8:40-56

Try this recorded Imaginative Contemplation on this passage.

The story of Jairus' daughter is "sandwiched" around the story of the bleeding woman in three gospel accounts.

Jairus asked Jesus to heal his dying daughter, but he had to wait for Jesus to heal the bleeding woman. It was a test of faith for him because his daughter died as he waited, but it was an opportunity for Jesus' power over death to be displayed!

Jesus told him to not be afraid. (It might be wise to mark how many times Jesus said this in His ministry.) Essentially, He was saying, "Stop fearing in unbelief, just keep believing." Mark records Jesus as speaking in Aramaic (a Jewish language related to Hebrew). He translated it into Greek, perhaps for His Greek-speaking, Gentile readers: "Little girl . . . get up."

The bleeding woman had what might have been a menstrual disorder or a uterine hemorrhage. This would make her ritually "unclean" (Leviticus 15:25-27) and would exclude her from social relations. This was a double whammy of physical illness and socio-religious isolation!

Many touched Jesus, but He realized the touch of faith of this woman, and she was instantly healed. He called her "daughter," and this is the only recorded use of this term by Jesus in the Gospels. 

APPLICATION

I hope you had an opportunity to do the Imaginative Contemplation. How did you encounter Jesus in the story of the bleeding woman? What miracle are you believing God for today?

PRAYER

Help us to stop fearing in unbelief, Lord. Amen.