Matthew 9:20-22

Have you ever felt your faith in God healed your physical ailment or emotional struggle? Did you feel a strong sense of God's love through your intimate relationship with Jesus?

In this scripture of the book of Matthew, we have the story of Jesus healing a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. It must have taken great fortitude and courage for her to reach out and touch Jesus’ cloak, for her ailment left her weak and she must have been frightened about what would happen if she touched Jesus, for she was considered unclean by cultural standards of that time (Lev 15:25-30). She knew that if she touched Jesus, he, too, would be considered unclean. Still, she reached out. She was desperate, thinking only that a brief touch of Jesus’ cloak would bring the healing she had longed for for so many years. What faith this woman had! This was a faith that surpassed her fear and weakness. And what does the story tell us? Jesus did not shun her, but he turned to her and spoke tenderly to her. It is not hard to imagine the relief she felt at the sound of his gentle voice and his accepting manner. One can imagine her looking into the eyes of Jesus and seeing only love. She was healed physically that day, but encountering pure love certainly healed her soul as well.

Matthew 9:20-22 (NIV)
20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” 22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.