Luke 8 / August 15 - 12 years of shame...gone.

It's Friday!!!
Once again we read about the woman who was "subject to bleeding" for 12 years come and touch Jesus. It occurred to me as I read this that this was a much worse problem then I originally thought.

Perhaps you've seen the commercials on TV about young girls in some third world country who had to miss school during their period because they didn't have any hygiene products. Imagine that for 12 years. You see this ladies bleeding was like a constant period. Which is troublesome by itself. But she also had been to many doctors and none of them could help. You can read the text here.

Imagine having a toothache for 12 years, nagging pain that won't go away. Everywhere you go and everything you do that toothache is just right there, always with you. I guess (sorry ladies) that this might be close to what this lady was going through. But there is a bigger issue for her.

In Jewish culture a woman on her period was considered unclean. in Leviticus chapter 15 the rules for a woman on her period and/or a discharge other than her period are found. But what being unclean means is that you can't worship. You can't be involved with others. You can't be in a public place. Anyone who touched you or anything you wore or came in contact with would be considered unclean. This woman was an outcast among her own people. In fact, if everyone in the group that was "crushing" Jesus would have known about her bleeding it is possible they would have killed her for making them all unclean. She was taking a huge risk. But then again no risk, no reward. In the end of the text you read that she came "trembling" and fell at His feet in front of all the people-how scary.

So, this is not just a woman who had a cut that would not stop bleeding. She was unclean. She was a cast out. She was desperate. She was trying one last time...

Friends, this is what Jesus does. He picks one out of the crowd. He touches the outcast. He offers hope. He is the only one who can help. Jesus is in the business of taking the unclean and making them clean. Maybe you need the touch of Jesus today. Maybe you're scared of those that are around. What will they say. What will they do? Does it really matter? You can be healed. You can be clean. You can life, real life, more and better than you ever imagined.

Are you ready for cleansing touch of Christ?