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One of the most sacred stories in the Bible was brought to my attention again yesterday, as I shared the day with an angel. As the day played out, yes, I was very sure that I had the privilege of being in the company of one who had been with Jesus. She just gushed with His love for the world; for the broken. She will deny it, but I know that I know an angel spent the day with me.
Luke 8:43-48
A woman suffering from bleeding for 12 years, who had spent all she had on doctors and yet could not be healed by any, approached from behind and touched the end of His robe. Instantly, her bleeding stopped.
"Who touched Me?' Jesus asked.
When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the crowds are hemming you in and pressing against You."
"Someone did touch Me," said Jesus. "I know that power has gone out from Me."
When the woman saw that she was discovered, she came trembling and fell down before Him. In the presence of all the people, she declared the reason she had touched Him and how she was instantly healed.
"Daughter," He said to her, "your faith has saved you. Go in peace."
Wow! Just Wow! I am that woman! You are that woman or man! We all carry around pain buried deep within our souls that cause us to spill blood out in the presence of great crowds of people. We all have bleeding hearts. We have burdens. We are wounded souls. Desperate for healing, too often we reach for devastating ways of healing. We turn to alcohol, drugs, friends --anyone who will listen. But there's only one who will heal our brokenness -- only One who hears our heart cries for healing as we continue to bleed on the multitudes. I, for one, can testify from my personal experience that it's not until we press through the crowds, through the pain in our hearts, through the ashes and touch the hem of His robe, that we can let go and let God!
This dear soul would have been isolated for those 12 years, considered "unclean." She would have carried her bleeding heart all those years by herself. How my heart goes out to her! I just want to run to her and embrace her. I want to soothe her aching, bleeding heart. I want her healed! I feel her pain deeply.
In all of history, there have been those with an emptiness in their souls because they "bled out". They were spent. They were just done; defeated. They went to their graves with that gaping hole in their hearts. They perished in their brokenness. Nobody saw. Nobody knew. They couldn't tell it. It was dirty and ugly. It was too risky. They were exhausted from all their bleeding and simply couldn't muster up the strength to run to Jesus and touch Him. Heartbreaking…I deeply feel this woman.
But her story didn't end there! No, with the courage that comes only from a faith that refuses to give up…she went. She touched. He healed…instantly. I'm so glad she did. She leaves a testimony to the miracle-working wonders of our Jesus. I wonder how the multitudes accepted her after her healing. Was it instantaneous? Did they rally around her and confess to her how they despised her brokenness? Did they love her now that healing had come? I would love to know their responses. Yes, their focus must have been on the Healer and not the healing. I get that. But after the healing, then what?
My dear friends…what's your story? Have you had a bleeding heart for most of your life but you've done your very best to isolate yourself? You just knew the world would see you as "unclean"? No healing, no hope…and to this day, you carry your bleeding heart into the crowds, but nobody sees you. Nobody cares. Your brokenness has controlled your life for as long as you can remember. It's debilitating. Maybe you'll crawl into that bottle just one more time, hoping to find help there. Aw, but help isn't there. Maybe you'll try most anything to stop the bleeding…maybe, just maybe today is your day…to push through the crowds and reach out to touch Jesus…to know His healing powers in the midst of your brokenness. No worries what the crowd thinks of you…only run to Jesus and find healing.
I mentioned that yesterday I was blessed by the company of an angel. Her story has been one of a bleeding heart…brokenness. As I listened intently to her heart, as she spoke, I focused on her heart, yet what I saw on her face was like looking into the face of an angel. She has chosen to redeem her pain by touching the hem of her Jesus. His Love gushed from somewhere deep within her soul. The ashes of her life no longer bind her. She's been set free from the ashes that once burned her. And now, she's got a story to tell. It's one of redemption. Healing. Freedom to be the girl God created her to be. She'll win souls for Jesus…now, instead of bleeding all over the world with her pain, she bleeds the blood of Jesus. Her life is a living testimony to the love of Christ, to His forgiveness, His grace, His mercies. What a gift she is to this world that no longer binds her. She's been set free to live for the One who heals…
In Acts, there's a statement that has long captivated my heart. Peter and John stood bolding before throngs of people…those who stood against our Jesus, and testified for Him. Boldly. No fear. No holding back. It was said that those listening "recognized that they had been with Jesus." I know from the depths of my heart that only my Jesus could have made the change in my friend's heart. Only Jesus puts that glow on her face. Only Jesus will continue to be with her all the days of her life. And the world will be a better place for her having been here. The face of an angel…a soul who will be remembered as "one who had been with Jesus."
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for healing the brokenness in our souls. Thank You, Lord, for coming to us when all the world seems to turn against us. Thank You, Father for Your grace and mercy that comes to us…not a second early, not a moment late, but always, Lord, when the bleeding won't stop and we have reached the end of ourselves. Thank You…that You come. We love You and we stand in awe of Your healing powers…so that we can tell the world just who You are…Our Healer, Our Savior, Our Lord. In Jesus' Most Precious Name, we pray…with grateful, healing hearts. Amen!