Mid-Week Musings

June 26, 2024

Suggested Reading: Mark 5:25-34

Dear NBRC Family & Friends,

If the story itself doesn’t strike you as a bit peculiar, then where it’s located in the Bible might. Tucked within a story about the resurrection of a little girl is the story of a woman who was healed of hemorrhaging.

The woman had suffered from bleeding for 12 years. Her condition would have made her ceremonially and socially unclean, and virtually ostracized from society. None of the many doctors she visited had been able to help her. Her money was gone. Her condition only worsened. She had endured much. We can only imagine her desperation, disappointment, and discouragement.

She had heard about Jesus and His healing power. She believed that a simple touch of his clothes would be enough to heal her. When He passed by with a great crowd of people around Him, she managed to have touched his cloak from behind. The moment she did, her hemorrhage stopped and she was healed. She knew it and so did Jesus. When the woman approached Jesus and told Him what had happened, imagine her relief and sense of peace when she heard Him say, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering” (NIV).

It might be tempting to be so focused on the woman, her illness, her courage and her faith, that we overlook Jesus in this story. Let’s remember where Jesus was going at the time. At the request of a desperate and begging father, Jesus was on his way to visit the father’s little girl who was near death. This was no common man who begged Jesus. He was one of the leaders of the synagogue. This man was involved with the spiritual and business affairs of the synagogue.

With a large crowd gathered around Him as he made his way to the home of a synagogue leader whose little daughter was near death, Jesus yet noticed, took time for, and acknowledged the faith of a fearful and trembling woman. He wasn’t angry with her. He wasn’t too busy for her. He didn’t treat her like an interruption. He healed her.

When we approach Jesus, He doesn’t consider us interruptions or interferences. He has time for us. Do we have time for those who approach us?

Pastor Ron

Prayer suggestion: As you pray, thank God for having time for you and ask Him to help you have time for others.

(On Sunday morning, June 30, 2024, the worship will be held at The Gospel Music Barn and Chapel, 6881 64 th Avenue in Hudsonville. The location is next to Chapel in the Pines Family Campground. The service begins at 10:00 a.m.)