Single-Minded Faith

I wonder if she planned it when she woke up that morning or if it evolved through the circumstances of her day.  The scriptures don't give us a lot of details, but I've often imagined what it would have been like to be her.  Did she rise wearily off her pallet in the wee hours of the morning, exhausted from battling her pain in an effort to get some much needed rest?  Did she watch out the window as the other women in the village walked in small clusters toward the well to gather their family's water for the day?  Can't you feel the loneliness that must have enveloped her after 12 years of living the secluded life of someone considered "unclean"?  Can't you almost sense the longing that must have filled her heart for human contact - to be loved and accepted?  Can't you almost feel the weight of desperation she must have had to be healed of her hemorrhaging and feel well again?

Perhaps she heard the women chattering excitedly of all the people Jesus was healing in the village.  We don’t the HOW, but we do know that at some point she became so focused on getting into the presence of Jesus that everything else faded away into the background. Jesus was coming!  If she could just slip out and touch Him maybe she could be whole and well again!  For the first time in years she felt the warmth of hope flicker in the darkest regions of her soul - a yearning that soon grew into an intense hunger, permeating every area of her being.  With every breath she became more and more determined that no matter what she MUST see this man Jesus.  If she could just touch Him, she knew deep within her heart of hearts she would be made whole again.

She was so single-minded she didn’t care that she wasn’t supposed to be around other people – She MUST see Jesus.  She didn’t care that she was so weak she had to crawl along the ground probably getting stepped on and kicked.  She MUST just touch the hem of HIS garment.  She summoned every ounce of strength she had and when she was so exhausted she didn’t think she could go any further, she put her eyes on Him and continued on inch by inch.  Would she make it before He passed by?  She must just keep going.  If she could just get close enough to touch His cloak - to be in His presence if even for just a moment.

And there He was. One final push…one reach…one brush of His garment…oh, the power she felt surge through her body!  And then He stopped.  And her heart stopped.

“Who touched me?” he asked quietly.

And he looked down at her, looked in her eyes with a love she had never known, and reached out His hand to her. She felt a peace and joy like she had never known!  Jesus who heals LOVED her.  Jesus who saves SAVED her.  Jesus who knew everything about her CHERISHED her and wanted to spend time with HER.  Can you stop for a minute and just imagine how it felt to lie there at His feet and look up into His eyes as He reached down to take your hand – to touch you when nobody had wanted to get near you for 12 years?

Ladies, that same Jesus LOVES you.  He died to SAVE you.  He CHERISHES you.  No matter what you have done.  No matter whether you think you are worthy.  No matter whether other people think you are valuable.  God LOVES YOU.  He desires a relationship with YOU.  If we truly believe that shouldn’t we have that same single-mindedness to be in His presence?  When was the last time we were so focused on fellowshipping with Him that everything else faded into the background?  Is there a longing, a hunger within us to know Him – to have such an intimate relationship with Him that thoughts of Him are foremost on our minds and hearts as we go about our daily lives?  That is the kind of single-minded relationship He desires to have with us. 

Jamie Hovey is challenging us to have a single-minded faith –much like the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment.  A single-minded faith that keeps our eyes and heart focused on Him.  A single-minded faith that spends time in His presence.  A single-minded faith that reaches out and takes His hand every morning and walks with Him all throughout the day.

Jesus, we come to you praising your name that you love us, that you cherish us, that you died on the cross to save us from our sins that we might have a daily relationship with you.  Create in us a hunger to know you.  Create in us a single-minded faith that we will keep our eyes focused on you no matter what is going on in the world around us.  May we always remember that your hand is reaching out to take ours and walk with us through each and every day, each and every trial, and each and every triumph. 

Lord, close our ears to the lies Satan whispers to us.  Open our ears to hear what you want us to hear.  Open our eyes to see what you want us to see.  Prepare our hearts, our hands, our feet to do what you want us to do today.

In your name and for your glory,

Amen and Amen