Who Touched Me?

She was so lonely.

And so, so desperate.

She was tired of being rejected, isolated, embarrassed, and taken advantage of.

Even as she sat there, contemplating what to do, the familiar stench from 12 years of continual bleeding circled around her.

She had tried to do things the “right way,” according to Jewish law.

She had done everything she could to get rid of this non stop bleeding that caused her to be “unclean” and unwanted. She sought doctor after doctor, many offering promises of healing, but instead took every penny she had, leaving her with even more pain and suffering, and even less hope.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

She knew Jesus could heal her if she could get close enough. But could she? In her “condition?”

She had to try.

She clothed herself with the intent to be unrecognizable, clothing she likely hadn’t worn in years, and headed out for a life or death shot at being healed when Jesus passed through.

“It’s my last chance,” she might’ve muttered under her breath as she slipped her sandals on and gathered up what little strength and courage she had left.

She might have stood in the doorway, looking around one last time at where she had remained over these years apart from her family and community; knowing things likely wouldn’t be the same when she returned…if she returned.

All she had was her label, defining her under Jewish law – “UNCLEAN,” screaming out to others she was an untouchable.

She took the risk of being publicly humiliated if she was recognized. The crowd could all start chanting “unclean,” or worse, she even risked being stoned to death.

But she just couldn’t take it anymore.

She bled for 12 long years. She sat alone while her family and friends celebrating weddings, feasted, and danced together.

As her family mourned together over the deaths of loved ones dear to their heart, her tears fell in silence.

She believed Jesus could heal her; give her back her life as she once knew it.

As she headed for the sounds of the crowds surrounding the Rabbi, she wrestled with how she might possibly get close enough to be healed.

As she approached the crowd, she began to worm her way through the many people, trying as best as she could to be invisible.

“If they knew it is I who touched them,” she thought, filled again with a fresh reminder of the shame she’d grown accustomed to. But, in desperation, she closed her eyes, drew a breath, and pressed closer.

She began to panic as she neared Him, flooded with questions she wished she would have considered earlier.

“I can’t just touch Him,” she might have reasoned. “I don’t want to cause Him to be unclean as well. What would the Teacher think of me then?”

“But she said to herself, ‘if I only touch His garment, I will be made well’ ” (Matthew 9:21).

So she kept her head down and let Him pass before she reached out to Him, creeping up from behind like a thief, hoping to go unnoticed.

But He did notice.

The moment she touched the fringe of His garment, she felt it. She felt the blood flow dry up in an instant from His healing power.

And so did He.

Matthew 9:22 tells us He turned to her

…and He noticed her.

This woman had been unclean, untouchable, lonely, and full of shame and wanted to slink away without being noticed because she thought that would be best.

But He knew what was best.

He knew she and everyone in that crowd needed to know she was no longer unclean and that she had a new label…

Daughter

“Take heart, daughter, your faith has made you well.”

Those words, “take heart,” come from the Greek word meaning, “to exercise bold and confident courage,” the same Greek word from John 16:33 that says,

“In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.”

She had become familiar with the trouble He spoke of in that verse.

But today she overcame.

She didn’t have to keep her head down anymore.

He didn’t merely provide physical healing to her that day. He healed her in every way – physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and socially.

He made sure everyone heard her name and her status.

“Daughter… you. are. well.”

You are defined by Me.

No one can label you or clothe you with shame any longer.

My daughter, you can keep your head up.

You can have bold and confident courage.

You are an overcomer.

We all have things we need to overcome; labels we need to redefine.

You might have a lot of labels – spoken and unspoken, good and bad.

Labels from parents, teachers, coaches, abusers, spouses, or bosses.

Over the years, unknown to you, some may have crowded your mind, infected your heart, and impacted your behaviors.

When an elementary teacher labeled me a “perfectionist,” I saw it as a complement. It felt good that that he associated the word “perfection” with me, even if he didn’t intend for it to be a complement but something that could hold me back.

As years went on, and I continually fell short of perfection, I only felt failure. I could never be good enough. I traded my “perfectionist” label for “failure.”

But friends, there are no labels.

It is God who gives us our identity.

Take a moment to consider if you truly define yourself by Him.

He calls you daughter.

You are His very own. Do you feel it? Do you live like it?

Nothing you have done, nothing that has been done to you, nothing that someone has said could EVER change that.

Shed whatever labels you or others have placed upon you and be careful what labels you place on those around you, intentionally or unintentionally.

As you find your identity in Christ more and more, it is absolutely inevitable that you will respond as you were intended and designed as a daughter of the King:

WITH BOLD & CONFIDENT COURAGE.

We don’t have to be limited by what others may say or do.

Measure every label against your identity as daughter of the King.

Your suffering may have involved shame, but your victory does not. Once you come to Christ, that is a label He puts to death.

“So now there is NO condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you…” Romans 8:1-2

A daughter of the King keeps her head up – not so high that you appear haughty, but never to the ground.

You will miss opportunities to love and encourage if you’re hanging your head in shame, unworthiness, or uncertainty.

His mighty work in you and your circumstances, whatever they may be, can be used to glorify Him if you can “exercise bold and confident courage.”

Someone needs to hear your story.

Someone else’s victory may be depending on your willingness to be bold and confident…and vulnerable.

You don’t need to have it all together before you claim your identity.

For many years I believed a lie that I couldn’t get close to God until I cleaned up my mess.

This story gives us the truth. This bleeding woman came desperate and “unclean.”

But she left His presence clean, healed, and with a new identity and outlook on life.

When we pursue Christ with even the tiniest speck of faith, we will not leave His presence unchanged.

You are His daughter. It’s time to exercise bold and confident courage.

This world needs more bold and confident daughters of the King.