Scripture Reading: Luke 8.40-8.56 Today's inspiration: Be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace

Good Morning.

Two stories. Two lives. Irrevocably changed. How then shall we live?

he was about his father's business-- she reached out for him. . .

she just had to take a chance all she was able to touch was the hem of his garment,

how lonely she was--how desperate but it was enough--she felt a surge go through her. . .

"if only," she thought, "then. . . " he felt it too,

he turned and asked who had touched him--

as she readied herself for the day, she looked into his eyes and told him that it was her.

it was the first time in a long time would he scorn her too, like all the others,

that she allowed herself to hope. because of her bleeding disorder?

she had heard that jesus was in town, oh, no, he was love. . .

where he would be teaching that day-- where he was, there was love~

so she went to intersect his path. he offered hope.

he healed the woman because of her simple faith

there were so many people! two thousand years later he is love,

would she even be able to get up to him? he is hope~

then. . . she spied him, and as usual,

he was with a familiar band of men-- when you're not sure what to pray,

seeing that, knowing they tried to sometimes simply reach out and touch the hem of his garment.

keep people back from him, (my simple paraphrase)

it wasn't too likely she'd e able to talk to him--

but try she must!

No doctor had been able to help her--twelve long years. Jesus didn't even have to touch the woman--it was she who touched His robe, and because of her pure faith in who He was, she was instantly healed! In a holy moment, she went from an outcast, (unable to even go to temple, as her constant menstrual flow made her unclean), to being physically and socially restored. Without even breathing a request, her reach to touch Him became her demonstrative, desperate prayer. In her case, she knew just what she needed from God. . . but for you and me, sooner or later, we will have a circumstance where we're not sure how to pray. . . should we ask God to do 'this' or 'that'? Perhaps it would be best to close our eyes and reach for Him, knowing He is all we need~~knowing we can trust Him to set things aright. 'Reminds me of a verse~ And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we do not know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. Romans 8.26

As it happens, Jesus was on His way with Jairus, a synagogue official, who had asked Jesus to come and heal his little girl, when this woman slowed His progress. After ministering to her, He turns to continue on to Jairus' home, when word comes that the little girl has died. Jesus tells them not to be afraid, "Only believe, and she will be made well." He enters the room where is she is--and takes her by the hand, saying, "Little girl, arise." She does. I believe it is interesting to note--the woman had been ritually unclean, but this little girl, once dead is ritually unclean. There are several other parallels in these two scenes: Jairus falling at Jesus' feet, and the woman doing the same; the little girl was 12 years old, the woman had been sick for 12 years; 'believe and she will be made well', 'faith made you well'; both females were instantly clean, instantly healed by Jesus. How could anyone think that studying the Bible is boring? Only simpletons.

What a day in the life of the Lord, eh? What I wouldn't give to have been Peter or James or John that day! Any awareness of even a small brush of the divine intersecting our lives and we are electrified--now could you imagine seeing Jesus in the busy marketplace with the woman, brandishing compassion this way and that, and then in the Jewish leader's home, waking the dead? After another radical day with Jesus, I wonder if the disciples were able to sleep that night. . . what do you think? Which scene would have moved you more--'Daughter, arise' or 'your faith has made you well'? Why? 'Need a miracle in your life? Take it to the only Miracle Worker around.

So that you may know,

Christine