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Monday, 21 October 2013

Luke 8:40-56 - Steps of faith

Jesus now heals Jairus' daughter and the woman with the issue of blood. Jairus came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with Him to heal his daughter who was dying. 
There were large crowds around Jesus and a woman who had been subject to bleeding for about twelve years touched Him. As well as making her weak the condition would also render her ceremonially unclean, so she would not have a good life. 
As soon as she touched  Jesus' cloak she was healed. In the gospels we see all sorts of ways in which Jesus healed people. Sometime He touched them, sometimes, as here, they touched Him, sometimes He just said a word. There is no uniform pattern, the only common ingredients are the compassion of Jesus and the faith of people. 
Jesus asked who touched Him, and Peter was amazed that Jesus was asking this, given the vast crowds around Him. Jesus had felt the power flow from Him.  The woman then came and fell at His feet.  Jesus called her daughter. Why did He do this? It was to reassure her. The Old Testament often calls Jerusalem or Israel a daughter. Jesus is assuring her that she is a daughter of God. Moreover, He commends her faith. Our faith does matter. When she exercised her faith she probably wasn't at all sure what the outcome would be, even if it would "work", but she took the steps. Our faith may often seem uncertain, but it is the steps of faith, no matter how uncertain, that are the most significant steps that we take. 
Then someone came to announce that Jairus' daughter was dead. Jesus reassures Jairus and urges him to keep believing. 
Jesus went to the house and put a stop to all the wailing. Jesus took the child by the hand and told her to get up. Life returned and she did so.

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