Mark 5:27-28 

New International Version (NIV)

When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”

For Meditation

She was desperate. Her life savings was gone. For twelve years, she had spent it all on doctors with the hope of securing healing for her hemorrhaging condition; “yet instead of getting better she grew worse” (Mk. 5:26). Entered Jesus, the carpenter from Nazareth, from where people perceived nothing good to come from (Jn. 1:46). Nevertheless, she made her way towards Him. But, the thick crowd around Him. How could she get to Him?

“If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed” (28).

Faith that apprehends the grace of God! That’s what it was, as she touched His cloak.

“Immediately, her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering” (29).

1. But, who touched who – the woman or Jesus?
2. Who sought who out – the healed or the Healer?
3. Who sought you in salvation – you or Jesus?
4. Did Zacchaeus seek Jesus out or the other way around (Lk.19:3-4)?
5. Who is calling who in prayer now – you or Jesus?

I pray you will remember that it is Christ who chose, sought after, called to, and touched us who desperately needed Him. We didn’t. As He says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you” (Jn. 15:16).

As Adam and Eve hid from God in the Garden (Gen. 3:8), so does every sinner hide from Him. However, just as God graciously sought after them and clothed them (9-11, 21), so does He seek to cloth the sinner in Christ. That’s our situation with Christ (Jn. 10:16, Rm. 3:21-22).

The paradox of our Christian faith is that even though we seek and call on Him in our desperation, it is He who seeks and calls after us all the time. We have nothing to do in anything God gives us through Jesus. It’s all grace.

Apprehending this truth will make you stop working and boasting and feeling anxious. Rather, you’ll be praising Him for your liberty the Holy Spirit brings (2 Cor. 3:17).

Shalom