She got her answers!

The unnamed woman who touched Jesus's hem and was healed inspires me greatly. Not only a woman of faith, but of courage. 

In Jewish family purity law, a woman who has an issue of blood is considered unclean and is set apart from many functions. She is not considered clean until she has immersed herself in a ritual bath called a mikvah ten days after her issue has ceased. This is called Niddah.

For a woman to have an issue of blood for any reason meant she was virtually an outcast until after she was cleansed at the mikvah. Sadly, this woman would have been a lonely and desperate woman who had used all her livelihood on physicians who couldn't heal her.

I can just imagine her thoughts: can I be healed? I have seen Him do miracles. What if He is angry with me for defiling Him? Should I not touch His Hem? But what if He heals me- even me? What do I do?

Such was her desperation, that she risked the humiliation and condemnation by reaching out in faith- and her issue of blood was stanched immediately.

Jesus perceived that the woman had touched Him in faith and He stopped and asked who had touched Him. So many people around, yet Christ knew the touch of faith was different from the usual touch.

Fearfully, the woman confessed in front of all why she had touched His garment. Instead of anger, our LORD answered the woman, comforting her and declaring that through faith in Him, she was indeed healed.

This brave and faithful woman was never named, but her faith has been included in the gospels in Matthew 9:20, Mark 5:25, Luke 8:43-44.

I love the kindness of Christ in healing and comforting a woman suffering from a very lonely and personal condition. Her faith must have pleased Him immensely and it is no mistake that she was mentioned in those 3 gospels as a woman of faith. 

...Can I be healed? I have seen Him do miracles. What if He is angry with me for defiling Him? Should I not touch His Hem? But what if He heals me- even me? What do I do? - her thoughts and fears were met with Love, Grace, healing and no condemnation. What Compassion and Love of the Saviour! 

As I reflect on her story, I marvel that God did not allow her to be named because it would embarrass her, yet He honoured her with an eternal memorial in His Word.  Three times in fact!  Yes, I believe she got her answers! 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, if I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. Matthew 9:20-22