Spring Into New Life
Spring! My favorite season. It is a time of new beginning and life. The sun comes out, flowers begin to bloom, birds are chirping. Spring reawakens us and our surrounding environment, bringing everything back to life. It is fitting that this is the season in which we celebrate the Resurrection of our Savior.
My mind has been on the story of the “woman with the issue of blood.” She is not named, but simply known for this condition. A condition which she suffered from for 12 long years. She was isolated from her family and neighbors because she was considered unclean. She “had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse” (Mark 5:26). For 12 years she was isolated. She must have thought this was how her story would end…Hopeless.
And yet, Mark 5:27 tells us when she heard about Jesus coming, she went out, not caring about the crowd. She was desperate. “For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole” (Mark 5:28). That was her plan, to touch Him. I picture her ducking through the crowd, squeezing by others and reaching out as far as she could to just touch the hem of His garment. And immediately she was healed. She knew that she had been healed. The Bible tells us she could feel it and Jesus must have too. He immediately responded. You can almost hear the laughter in Peters voice in Luke 8:45 “And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?”. He could have kept walking as He was on His way to heal a leader’s daughter who was dying. But the woman came to Him trembling, almost ashamed of being in the crowd, and explained herself. His response? “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.” (Mark 5:34). She was no longer known by her past condition. He calls her Daughter! She was free after 12 years and given a new name.
This woman did not focus on herself as she pressed through the crowd that day, but rather kept her mind on Jesus. She had faith that only He could heal her. Do you have something that has been keeping you isolated, in pain, suffering? If we only focus on Jesus, we too can be changed and given new life. Are we waiting for God? Maybe we need to be bold and press forward. Hebrews 4:16 states, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Take that first step. He will heal you completely and restore new life within you. I pray that during this Spring season you will find new life, comfort, and hope in our Savior!
Sis Krystle Skelton
