She stood on the edge of the crowd and tried vainly to catch a glimpse of Him.
He was somewhere in that pulsating sweating mass of humanity that thronged and pressed against each other in the heat of the day. From the snatches of conversation she knew His destination - Jairus' home.
When she realized He was about to pass by her lodging the wild thought invaded her and refused to leave. 'If only He would touch me I would be healed!' Immediately her timid soul had shrunk back from the impudent thought! She did not dare confront Him - not in her present condition! It was an illegal thought in her present circumstance...12 years of bleeding illness!
She still remembered the day 12 years ago.. how ironic that on the same day Jairus' daughter was born , that same day she had become aware of her own sickness!
She had bled so much since then! Physically and financially for the doctors had been unable to find a cure even though they continued to take her money and make promises! Promises which never saw fruition! Desperation had kept her hoping...for nothing...! And she had ended up with nothing!
Now the little girl was sick and the Master was passing by on His way to Jairus' home! 'If only I dared to approach Him' she thought. 'But I am too weak anyhow and the crowd pressed too close. I am afraid! But I am dying...and He's passing by! Oh! What am I to do?!'
Thoughts blurred through her mind as she desperately cast about for a solution to her dilemma. She had heard a lot of Yeshua and the wonderfully miraculous things He had been doing! Recently news had filtered from the Gadarenes about the lonely man in the cemetery. What was he called?...Legion...delivered from a multitude of devils!
How can I get Yeshua's attention?...Wait...NO! I do NOT want Him to know! I can't come to Him in this condition...but ...I know just a touch would do...a simple contact with Him would be sufficient! YES! That's it! if I could just touch the hem of His robe from the back...He would not see me and none would be the wiser! I am certain if I just touch the hem only I would be healed!
She stared in dismay at the thronging mass and thought...'Alright! In there, somewhere, is my one chance at a new lease on life and it is gradually moving away. I have to get to Him!' She was agonizingly aware that she did not have the strength to push through that crowd! In her frantic casting around for a solution her eyes fell on two little boys who had suddenly appeared in front of her and dropped playfully to all fours. She watched in amazement as they gleefully weaved their way through the legs of the slowly moving crowd!
That's it!
Everyone was straining to look over the head of the neighbour and no one was looking down! With the words 'and a little child shall lead them' reverberating in her mind, she immediately suited action to thought, dropped on all fours and began following the boys crawling between legs.
The dust stirred up by shifting feet filled her nostrils and mouth. Her eyes watered profusely as she gagged on dust...but she kept on going!
In her mind the thought echoed over and over 'I just want to touch the hem of His coat!'
The hot air seared her dust filled lungs and she was in terror lest she pass out...!
But she kept thinking, 'Just to touch the hem of His coat! That's all! Just to touch the hem!'
The forest of limbs pressed her in closely. Several times she thought her frail body would be trampled to death in the dust!
Her mind kept repeating. 'Get to Him! Touch the hem! Don't stop now!...Keep going...touch the hem!'
And then she heard His voice! She just knew it was His voice. She did not know just how she knew, but she knew! Peering cautiously upwards she recognized some of the men from Capernaum who were His disciples...Simon, John, Levi...And RIGHT THERE!...In their midst...she would have known HIM anyhow! The Master! Yeshua! He moved slowly along with the crowd...being jostled on all sides as people tried to get near to Him. The disciples were trying continuously and ineffectively to shield Him but the crowd kept pressing in.
She felt the faintness overtaking her - a result of the supreme struggle made through the gauntlet of legs! She knew that she was totally at the end of her strength. As she felt life draining away from her she knew that this was it! Her final moments were near...do or die! She was so near...just one more effort..a last step to take! She crawled...dragging herself along the dust, reaching out her hand in a desperate gesture but He was moving on!!!
'OH GOD NOOO!...PLEASE JUST THIS ONCE!...JUST A TOUCH!' Her fingers extended in vain as her whole being cried out noiselessly! '
So this is how I die? OH DEAR GOD NO! PLEASE JUST A TOUCH FROM YOUR COAT!'
As her last dying cry ripped noiselessly from her heart a draft of surprisingly cool wind, wending its way suddenly through the crowd, playfully caught the hem of Yeshua's robe and sent it fluttering towards her. The outstretched fingers made the slightest of contact with the hem as she fell forward.
OH WONDERFUL GOD!
She felt it then! Amazement, fear, and joy battled for supremacy as she felt it! Like a cool refreshing wind over a hot face...like a cold refreshing stream of crystal clear water rippling over parched dry land...like a bolt of lightning shattering the pitch blackness of a gloomy night!
In ever increasing waves she felt the power surge through her. Her dead tired cells tingled with life and energy as she felt her whole body become suffused with the glow of health and healing. She became aware of new strength, vigor and life flowing...surging in her as she flowed to her feet in front of the surprised eyes of those who expressed astonishment at her seemingly sudden appearance!
She hastily began retreating into the crowd in her effort to get away from there when she was arrested by the Voice!
"WHO TOUCHED MY CLOTHES?"
The question hung in the sudden stillness of the of the crowd as everyone gaped in amused disbelief.
"Huh? Really!!"
A disciple put the general feeling into words, 'Master this crowd is so thick and everyone is pushing and tugging at You! There are SO many TOUCHING You! What do You mean by asking...WHO TOUCHED ME?' Does it really matter AT ALL??'
As she continued to back away she heard Him say, "I know! But someone DID touch differently for I felt power flow out of me just now!" As He said this He looked around the crowd and caught her eyes with His own.
She panicked! He knows! OH NO! He knows what I did and He knows who did it! Why did I think I could hide it?!
She caught her breath! He was smiling at her! The gentleness in His twinkling, amused eyes immediately dissolved her fears! IT WAS OKAY!!!
In reverence and gratitude she shuffled forward, and with thankful tears in her eyes she fell down before Him and worshiped Him as she told Him all that had happened.
Yeshua leaned over and lifted her up gently. With infinite kindness and love that sent a fresh surge of healing power through her body she heard Him say, "Daughter, go in peace! Your faith has made you whole!"
©2010
