Day 12: Wounded
Illustration
When Jesus was on this earth He had an encounter with a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. “And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse” (Mark 5:25-26).
This poor woman was sick and bleeding for many years. She tried to get help for her condition, spending all that she had, all to no avail. But then she heard about Jesus, and notice what she did:
Mark 5:27-29 (NIV) “When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.”
This woman exercised faith, believing that Jesus was a great Physician who could heal her wounds when no person in her past could. She reached out and touched Jesus’ cloak, and immediately she was healed; that is, she was freed from her suffering.
Before she went on her way, Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering" (Mark 5:34). Jesus knew He was on the way to the cross, and would take her sickness on Himself, along with her sin and suffering. As He foresaw that event, it was as if He was saying that her bleeding would stop because His would start, and she would be made completely whole because He would be completely broken and spilled out for her.