"And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, when she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched His garment. For she had said, If I may touch but His clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that virtue had gone out of Him, turned Him about in the press, and said, Who touched My clothes?... And He looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before Him, and told Him all the truth. And He said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague." Mark 5:25-3425And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 32And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 33But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. (Mark 5:25‑34).
What a state of matters to come to the attention of the blessed Savior! Twelve years ill, the woman had "suffered many things," had "spent all," was "nothing bettered," but "rather grew worse.”
Twelve is the number that speaks of completeness in matters of human administration. Here it was complete misery. Every human resource had been found to be a source of vexatious disappointment, not of healing. Complete poverty was the result for she had "spent all.”
This is just the case for Jesus! Have you, my reader, found out your true condition? Are you a poor weak sinner, needing salvation, and unable to save yourself, spite of all the remedies which incompetent spiritual physicians prescribe in the shape of good resolutions, amendment of life, almsgiving, attendance on the means of grace, observance of ordinances, prayers, tears, penitential imposts, and perhaps even body flagellation? You cannot do better than follow her footsteps.
What faith was hers! How beautifully simple! She had heard of Jesus; and what she had heard had begotten in her heart the full conviction that to get into contact with Him, even remotely, meant sure and certain blessing. So convinced, her course was simple. May yours be the same. She "heard," she "came," she "touched," and "straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up"; and, as a very simple consequence, she "felt" that "she was healed.”
Now this is always the way the soul comes to Jesus. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." It is what you hear of Him in God's Word that leads you to cast yourself simply on Him. The moment faith does that, the blessing is sure, and present too. Faith always secures the blessing because it has Christ for its object and not "self" in any shape or form. There was no virtue in her touch; all the virtue was in Him whom she touched, though it flowed forth bounteously in response to that touch of faith.
But there is a point of immense importance here. Not only is she sure she has touched Him, though it were only the hem of His garment the sense of healing being "straightway" communicated; but He knew He had been touched and by whom.
Yes, Jesus knows if you have come to Him in simple faith or not. He is not unobservant of the heavings and throbbings of the weary, restless heart. That heart may scarcely itself know what it needs: yet it finds all that need answered in Him.
"Jesus immediately knowing in Himself that virtue had gone out of Him,... said, Who touched My clothes?" In vain do the disciples speak of the throng. The multitude had thronged, but not "touched" Him! Faith alone did that. Yet did He not know who it was? Clearly; for "He looked round to see her that had done this thing." Why these queries, then? Because the Lord loves to confirm faith wherever He finds it. The woman, healed thus perfectly, was about to retire without any confession of Him whose grace she had tasted.
Thus is it with many souls. They have trusted Jesus, got a sense of relief, perhaps even the half-hope that they are forgiven; but they have never got full peace or assurance. Why? Because they have never simply and fully confessed Christ, and hence never got to the point where they were free to listen simply to what He has to say to them. Till this moment is reached, two words describe the condition of such souls: "fearing" and "trembling," which is just what we read. "But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before Him, and told Him all the truth.”
What unreserved committal of one's self to Jesus! And the result? What one can call the finest "confirmation service" in all Scripture. Had the Lord allowed her to go off without what now follows, she never would have had peace. Satan would have followed her and whispered: "Oh, yes, it's quite true you are better just now, but your trouble will be sure to break out again. You are relieved, not cured." The fear of the impending plague would have corroded the joy which she rightly had.
How gracious is the Lord! He does not want any soul that has trusted Him to be duped, deceived, and distressed any longer by Satan. He speaks words which forever calm the troubled heart: "Daughter, thy faith had made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.”
Not only is she made whole, but peace fills her heart as she thinks of the future. "Be whole of thy plague" are His last words to the one with whom He now owns relationship by the exquisite title "daughter.”
She had therefore, the divinely given certainty that she could never relapse into that state out of which the virtue which flowed from Jesus had drawn her. How comforting to one who trusts Him! That one is entitled to know that forgiveness and eternal life are present possessions, and never can be lost. What He gives in grace He does not recall even though the recipient be faulty and failing.