Claiming the Promise of Faith

Scripture: Having heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his clothing. For she said, “If I just touch his clothes, I’ll be made well.” Instantly her flow of blood ceased, and she sensed in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Immediately Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” Mark 5:27-30

Observation: Compared to the other healings of Jesus, something obviously unique occurs with this woman. She is healed entirely as an act of her own faith. She believes, touches Jesus clothes, and is healed. Jesus does not touch her, he does not speak to her, and he does not make a decision to heal her. In fact, his healing power is taken from him by her touch, and he is aware of that power leaving him.

This is soon juxtaposed with the people of Nazareth, who doubt Jesus because they have known him and his family for years. The question his power and authority, and as a result Jesus is "not able to do a miracle there" (v6:5) even though he may want to.

There is no doubt as to the message here ... far beyond Jesus' decision-making process for whom he may or may not heal, the miracles of the Messiah are tied - by the very will of the Lord - to the faith of the human individual. It is by faith that the will of the Lord can be initiated. Meanwhile, since it is the Lord's will for us to receive salvation by faith in Messiah, a lack of faith (or perhaps by a declaration of non-faith) can cause the Lord to withdraw his power.

Application: Yes, this is a well-understood concept - that this woman was healed by faith - but it bears importance to remember that the way the Lord can and will act in my life is based on my faith. Yes, of course the Lord has power and authority to do all things, but one of the ways he has chosen to act is by giving humans authority in their own lives, and as stewards of creation itself, and therefore he has decided to align his miracles to our belief.

Right now, I keep wishing that the Lord would fix my mind. I feel like there is something wrong, and it is causing distraction, and these distractions take me further and further from the interactions I should be having with the Lord himself, with the Holy Spirit, and with my wife. I feel like I need a miracle, or at least his power and assistance. Therefore, today I say this ... I fully believe he can help me. I have faith in Jesus as my Lord and savior, and I know the Holy Spirit can redirect my mind to being effective, fruitful, focused, and useful again. Claiming the promise of faith, I reach for the hem of Jesus' robe ...

Prayer: Jesus, please heal my mind. Amen.