The woman was sick for twelve years with an issue of blood which some scholars say was cancer. In many instances and especially in the first century, this disease was terminal. It is speculated that she had lost all her income and that her family had deserted her. In those days she would have been considered unclean because of the health problems. She was completely alone and maybe begging at the street corner when Jesus and the crowd came her way.
Coincidentally, (not really) Jesus was summoned to the house of Jairus and Jesus was on his way to heal Jairus' twelve year old daughter.
So twelve years earlier Jairus' daughter was born and the woman who is unnamed became ill.
How do these two intermingling stories relate to each other and us?
Pastor Tim Combs in his sermon this Sunday expounded upon the possibilities and speculations. I believe he did a great job of sorting this out.
The twelve year old, according to PT and me, represents the new generation of young people. Many of this generation have checked out. Basically they have died inside. (Of course, that's not the end of the story. I'll speak to that in a minute or two.) This generation is sick and their fathers are looking everywhere for Jesus to come and touch and heal this generation. Jairus received a disappointing word from his servant. His daughter was dead. Even though he was told his daughter was dead, he asked Jesus to come and touch her anyway. He never gave up.
As a representative of the past generation, I have buckets full of faith in our new generation. I believe God is walking their way, as we speak, to heal, restore and resurrect this new generation.
But what about my generation represented by the woman with an issue of blood? She was in a incurable world of hurts. She was terminal and she was just preparing to die alone. She'd already lost everything. This story is too familiar in our day and age. We are a sick culture and we are desperate. At times we don't know which way to turn. The doctors say your're going to die.
The older woman had probably heard of Jesus and heard that he healed the sick and opened the blind eye. But will he come to my neighborhood? Did He care about me? Is there really such a person as Jesus? Yes, Jesus did come by and he was on his way to heal Jairus' daughter.
The Lord Jesus Christ is in the business of healing the sick and freeing the captive at any age. The older woman had a person revival that aroused her spirit. She was sitting and Jesus walked by.
First the woman got up. As she stood she could see the back of Jesus and she said to herself, "If i could only touch the hem of His garment...and...I will be healed."
Her action filled her with faith, and her faith healed her body. That tells me that my generation needs to get off their backsides and walk out into this world in faith. The women didn't know the exact results of her action but she believed that she would be healed.
A twelve year old resurrected from literal death and a women engulfed with a disease for twelve years, both healed in an instant. Think about it, Jesus said "Who touched me?" All the older woman had to do was produce within her own being the simple action of getting up and reaching for Jesus. We make it so complicated but It is all within our grasp. Jesus is within our grasp.
The younger girl's father was the catalyst for her healing. "You can speak the word and she will be healed." Jesus went where she was and spoke to the problem. It was done.
God is already speaking to this generation in ways far beyond our comprehension. Resurrection is happening to the masses. Jairus' daughter had a personal revival and through the power of her father's faith a generation was saved from destruction.
We, the healed generation, need to acquire the faith of Jairus and trust in God's resurrection power.
Our generations is being healed and the new generation is being resurrected. What an awesome concept to celebrate on this Lord's Day.
By David Erickson
