He Chose to Heal a Woman in the Crowd (Forty Days with Jesus – Day 11, Mar 1st)

16 Mar He Chose to Heal a Woman in the Crowd (Forty Days with Jesus – Day 11, Mar 1st)

Read Mark 5:25-34

Thought for the Day: You and I matter to Jesus!

She couldn’t do anything without feeling shunned and shamed. Having lived with a medical condition beyond her control for twelve years, she had turned to every cure and remedy known to civilization. But nothing worked. In fact, the remedies and care she received only seemed to make things worse. She was filled with despair and felt a crushing sense of hopelessness.

Then, she heard that Jesus was going to be in town. Knowing that her medical condition rendered her ‘unclean’ in her society, she couldn’t work up the courage to ask Him for direct help. But, she believed. She knew that He was different from all of the others who had promised her a cure and simply taken her money. Jesus could actually heal her. So, she devised a plan: “If I touch even His garments, I will be made well.” In the middle of large crowd, she ran forward, touched the cloth of Jesus’s garment, and was immediately healed. But then something amazing happened. Not only had Jesus chosen to heal her, He noticed her. Jesus could have simply attributed what happened to the commotion of the great crowd. But He didn’t. He noticed her and said, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

You and I matter to Jesus! He alone brings us peace. We may go through times in our lives where we turn to everyone and everything else only to find ourselves feeling empty and hopeless. In this season of Lent, we are reminded of Jesus’ incredible care and love for each of us individually. To Him, we are not simply faceless members of a crowd. Rather, you and I are chosen daughters and sons!

Reflect & Pray – Are there places in my life where I am turning to someone or something other than Jesus? Am I willing to stop and instead see that He cares for me individually? God, please provide me with the wisdom to see that I do not need to fill my life with anything other than You and Your love!