Belief and Power

Matthew 9: ¹⁸ While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” ¹⁹ Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.

²⁰ Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. ²¹ She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”

²² Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

²³ When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, ²⁴ he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. ²⁵ After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. ²⁶ News of this spread through all that region.

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“Absurd” comes to mind when I read this passage. Dead means dead! Why in the world would this guy even think this method would work? I read on. “Absurd again” came to mind. How could a person think that touching a garment would heal the body?

• Belief seems absurd from the outside looking in.
• Belief seems like something only crazy people or poor people do.
• Belief seems to be a last resort rather than a first response.

What I like about this passage is the immediacy of those involved. The synagogue leader immediately went to JESUS, knowing JESUS could do something about the situation. He didn’t say she “may” live, he said she “will” live. The bleeding, ostracized woman said the same. She did not say “Maybe I will be healed and if I’m not then I will try something else.” No, she said “I will be healed.”

• JESUS showed HIS power over death in order to grow my faith in HIM.
• JESUS gave me an example of HIS power in order to make me believe HE can do anything in my life.
• JESUS healed people in order to tell me “Do not worry about your situation, I can handle it.”

If I could just touch HIS garment or get HIS attention then HE can heal anything, should be my way of thinking. I should act like JESUS has the power I read about. JESUS looks at me the same way HE sees these people. The little girl did not ask to be raised from the dead, nor did the woman ask JESUS to be healed.

JESUS wanted the best for them and wants the same for me. HE heals me daily.

• Are you wounded?
• Do you feel your life is dead?
• Can you stop believing in the worst and start believing that JESUS can heal your situation?
• Will you say “GOD WILL” instead of doubting HIM?