Ancient doctors tested the sanity of their mental patients with the following test: The patient was placed in a room with a sink. The faucet was turned on and a stopper was put in the drain until the sink overflowed. The patient was then handed a mop and the door was closed. If the patient had enough sense to shut off the water, pull the plug, and then mop up the water, he was considered capable of going home. But if the patient mopped like crazy and never bothered to shut off the water and/or pull the plug, he was detained a little longer in the mental institution.
Do you ever feel like someone has put you in a room and the problems keep overflowing and you can’t keep up? You thought you knew how to turn it off (Jesus), but it just kept getting worse. You’ve had a hard time believing.
In Luke 8:40-56 we discover two very different people. One was a woman, the other a man. One was poor, the other rich. One was a rejected outcast, the other was a leader of society. Yet, both had a desperate need that only Jesus could meet. Both needed to believe in Jesus. Like them, I hope you will commit to believe in Jesus.
Believe in Jesus when hope from human help has failed.
And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. (Luke 8:43-48)
An unnamed woman had been bleeding for 12 years. It’s interesting that Luke, the doctor, mentions that she spent all her money on doctors and it didn’t do any good. She was still bleeding. This caused her to be ceremonially unclean and quarantine from others. But she believed that if she could just touch the fringe on Jesus’ clothes, that would be enough to heal her. So she wrestled with the crowd, touched the hem of His garment, and was immediately healed. Jesus recognized this and called her out. She needed more than physical healing – He healed her completely. While human doctors couldn’t help her, the Great Physician could heal her.
Could it really be that simple? A touch? Her touch was one of purposeful intent: she wanted to be healed. It is one of faith: she believed that if she touched Him she could be healed. Her touch was different than anyone else’s in the crowd, and Jesus knew it. In a crowd of a million hands, Christ recognizes the one hand that is raised to Him in faith.
Jesus loves each of us as if we are the only one of us to love. Step forward in faith and connect with Jesus.
Believe in Jesus when Jesus is all you have left to believe in.
And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him…. While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat. And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done. (Luke 8:41-42, 49-56)
The story of the bleeding woman actually interrupted the story of Jairus begging Jesus to healing his dying daughter. How angry, frustrated, and heartbroken he must have been when He heard his daughter died. But as Jesus commended the healed woman for her faith, He encouraged the father to believe. Jesus took three of His disciples and her parents into the room. His simple words, “Maid, arise” worked a miracle and she came back from the dead. You can believe in Jesus
God doesn’t always bring things back. But He will always bring good things. Joni Erickson Tada was a young, energetic woman when a diving accident left her a quadriplegic. She nearly lost her will lo live. But soon learned how to paint with her teeth and produced record albums of beautiful music and is a sought after speaker. She now actually praises God for not healing her because she has been able to have a deeper, spiritual healing that has strengthened her faith, increased her compassion, and stretched her ministry.
Sometimes we realize that some things need to die before others begin. Trust that if God is going to take something, He will soon give something better. Keeping believing in Jesus.
June 18, 1815 was a momentous day for Europe. Duke Wellington led the united forces of Prussia, Russia, Austria and England against Napoleon Bonaparte’s attempt to be emperor of Europe. The signal would come from lamps in a cathedral’s bell tower. The first message read: “Wellington Defeated.” The crowd slowly dispersed in sorrow. What they didn’t know was a dense fog obscured the view. As the fog lifted, the rest of the message was revealed: “Wellington Defeated the Enemy.” Joy spread.
Like the Englishmen, we tend to quit believing too soon. After successive losses, we lose the will to trust again. Make a commitment to continue to believe until the victory is yours.