The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Undaunted Courage" for Monday, 10 March 2014 - Read Luke 8:40-48

The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Undaunted Courage" for Monday, 10 March 2014 - Read Luke 8:40 When Jesus returned, the multitude welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 Behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. He fell down at Jesus’ feet, and begged him to come into his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went, the multitudes pressed against him. 43 A woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians, and could not be healed by any, 44 came behind him, and touched the fringe[a] of his cloak, and immediately the flow of her blood stopped. 45 Jesus said, “Who touched me?”
When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes press and jostle you, and you say, ‘Who touched me?’”
46 But Jesus said, “Someone did touch me, for I perceived that power has gone out of me.” 47 When the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared to him in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48 He said to her, “Daughter, cheer up. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
Footnotes:
a. Luke 8:44 or, tassel
Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.--Hebrews 4:16 (NRSV)
The woman described in the scripture reading for today is one of my heroes. Her bleeding disorder made her unclean according to the law (Lev. 15:19). No one could touch her, and she could be punished for making another person unclean by touching him or her. Out of her tremendous need, she put aside her pride and her fear of the consequences, boldly came up behind Jesus, and touched his cloak. When Jesus turned to her, she fell to the ground, trembling at his feet, and declared to everyone why she had touched Jesus and that she had been healed. As I picture the scene, I see Jesus bending down, taking the woman by the arm and saying, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” The scripture shows that if we are willing to humble ourselves before God, God will show us mercy. Isaiah 30:18 (NIV) says, “The Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.” If, like the woman Jesus healed, we leave behind our pride and fear and come boldly before God, we can be healed.
--The Author: Kenneth John Marks (Oregon, USA)
Thought for the Day: What prevents me from coming boldly before God?
Prayer: Dear God, call us nearer to you so that we might be healed. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those with chronic illnesses
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