Fear and Faith: Part IV, "Christ Our Healer"

One aspect of faith is fearing God as the all-powerful and all-encompassing God, and trusting that in his goodness and faithfulness he will use his power to deliver you from your bondage. Such was the faith of a woman in Mark 5 who had a discharge of blood for twelve years. She had spent all of her money visiting many physicians, but nothing seemed to work. I'm sure she began to doubt whether or not she could ever be healed.

Then one day the woman began to hear stories of a man who was in town. Word had it that he had the miraculous ability to heal people. She said to herself, "If I could touch even his garments, I will be made well." Other physicians had failed her time and time again, but she had an unusual feeling that this Jesus was actually able to heal her, even if she only touched the end of his cloak!

Immediately when the woman touched Jesus' garment she knew that she had been healed of her disease. Such power she had never known or imagined. Jesus felt this power going out from him and turned around looking for her. Then the woman, realizing that his power had filled and healed her, came to him in fear and trembling, fell before him, and told him the whole truth. She laid herself before him and didn't know what to expect. She knew he was strong enough to heal her, but was he good? A sigh of relief must have flooded over her soul when she heard him say, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."

I pray that this would be our reaction to experiencing firsthand the power of Christ! We should not be ignorant of his strength or ever lose sight of his power. We ought not to forget that the God of love and mercy could easily cast us into an eternity of torment. He has no restrains, he has no limits, and he has no obligations. We are pitiful, beggarly, and rebellious creatures who are constantly in need of his love and mercy.

We must come to Christ. This woman had a physical disease for twelve long years, but we have been spiritually in need of a physician for much longer. We have a disease that no other physician could ever heal. We ought to tremble in fear, telling Christ the whole truth. Oh how we should long to hear him say to us, "your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease!"

- Mark 5:24-34