Holding To The Hem

Saturday, May 27, 2017

Holding to the Hem

Matthew 9:20-22

²⁰ And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. ²¹ For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” ²² But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

Leviticus 15:19-27

¹⁹ “‘When a woman has her regular flow of blood, the impurity of her monthly period will last seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean till evening.

²⁵ “‘When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period or has a discharge that continues beyond her period, she will be unclean as long as she has the discharge, just as in the days of her period. ²⁶ Any bed she lies on while her discharge continues will be unclean, as is her bed during her monthly period, and anything she sits on will be unclean, as during her period. ²⁷ Anyone who touches them will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

(read also Mark 5:25-43, Luke 8:43-56)

Devotional:

When I read the account of the woman with the “issue” or flow of blood, I feel deeply connected to her. As a woman with “issues” in my life, as a woman who has walked a hard road for many years, I can understand why she would make such an audacious move.

Feeling “unclean,” feeling untouchable, feeling separate was a way of life for years. I have worked through scores of painful issues, both emotional and physical, and there have been many times when I would have loved to reach out my hand and invade Jesus’ space to be instantly delivered. 

There have been things that I have been delivered from in an instant. Alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana. I can honestly say that I do not have any desire to live that way, and God was the One to deliver me from that bondage. But then, there have been the “issues” that He has required me to walk out and dig in for. There are times when I feel like I am holding His hem so tightly that He can’t even walk.

I admit that there are days when I think He is tired of me holding on. Then I look at Him, and I see His love for this woman, I see His compassion, I see how He stopped everything He was doing on His way to raise a child from the dead, and I just hold tighter.

Hold to Him, friends. He has time for you, He has loving eyes for You. He is not too busy and He is not tired of you pulling power from Him.

Prayer:

Today, Father, as I embark on the day You have set before me, I ask that You will give me the audacity to hold to the hem of Jesus and receive His healing for my issues. I confess that I struggle to ask at times for the healing I need, but today I choose to press in even though I have had some of my issues for so long I wonder if they will be with me for the rest of my life.

I thank You that You are a God Who heals. I ask for my healing today (name area or areas).

I also ask You to heal and deliver and restore my children in any area(s) that need Your touch. I hold Your hem for them, and ask that You would also draw them to reach out to You on their own.

Thank You for Your ministry that continues today.

In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.