The Lutheran Seminary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Friday, 26 June 2015 "God Pause daily Devotion" Scripture: Mark 5:21 Yeshua crossed in the boat to the other side of the lake, and a great crowd gathered around him. 22 There came to him a synagogue official, Ya’ir by name, who fell at his feet 23 and pleaded desperately with him, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Please! Come and lay your hands on her, so that she will get well and live!”
She snuck up behind Jesus and touched his cloak, saying, "If I but touch his clothes I will be made well." There is a difference between a professional pickpocket and a desperate woman. The pickpocket slips by like a whisper and vanishes on the wind, premeditated and premeditating. The mumbling woman in Mark's gospel can only see Jesus and only feel her misery. She can only sense her shame, her desperate need to be free of her pain, of her bleeding.
24 He went with him; and a large crowd followed, pressing all around him. 25 Among them was a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years 26 and had suffered a great deal under many physicians. She had spent her life savings; yet instead of improving, she had grown worse. 27 She had heard about Yeshua, so she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his robe; 28 for she said, “If I touch even his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Instantly the hemorrhaging stopped, and she felt in her body that she had been healed from the disease. 30 At the same time, Yeshua, aware that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 His talmidim responded, “You see the people pressing in on you; and still you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 But he kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 The woman, frightened and trembling, because she knew what had happened to her, came and fell down in front of him and told him the whole truth. 34 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your trust has healed you. Go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
35 While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house came, saying, “Your daughter has died. Why bother the rabbi any longer?” 36 Ignoring what they had said, Yeshua told the synagogue official, “Don’t be afraid, just keep trusting.” 37 He let no one follow him except Kefa, Ya‘akov and Yochanan, Ya‘akov’s brother. 38 When they came to the synagogue official’s house, he found a great commotion, with people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 On entering, he said to them, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead, she’s just asleep!” 40 And they jeered at him. But he put them all outside, took the child’s father and mother and those with him, and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand, he said to her, “Talita, kumi!” (which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 At once the girl got up and began walking around; she was twelve years old. Everybody was utterly amazed. 43 He gave them strict orders to say nothing about this to anyone, and told them to give her something to eat.[Complete Jewish Bible]
With one singular thought, she cuts through the crowd that follows Jesus en route to the pastor's house and dares to reach out and touch him. She touches his cloak—and suddenly everything changes as she now tries to melt back into the crowd, finally free! Except for Jesus, who won't let her go until she is honored like never before. Not only is she healed, but she is recognized as a daughter, and told, "Go in peace, your faith has saved you from your whip."
God, some of us know that whip. Some know the sting and the shame of illness that will not leave. With this woman, we look to you and we long to touch; oh, we long. Come near enough, Jesus, and save us as you saved her. Send us also in your peace. Amen.
Chris Kramer
Pastor, Nativity Lutheran Church
Bend, Ore.
Master of Divinity , 2007
Mark 5:21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea.
22 Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet
23 and begged him repeatedly, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live."
24 So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him.
25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years.
26 She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse.
27 She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,
28 for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well."
29 Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.
30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?"
31 And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, "Who touched me?' "
32 He looked all around to see who had done it.
33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.
34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."
35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader's house to say, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?"
36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe."
37 He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
38 When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly.
39 When he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping."
40 And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was.
41 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha cum," which means, "Little girl, get up!"
42 And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement.
43 He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.[New Revised Standard Version]
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