If I May Touch but His Garment

And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,   When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. (Mark 5:25-29)

This woman had suffered for twelve years, spending everything she owned on physicians who left her no better and, according to Scripture, actually worse off. By any natural measure, her situation was hopeless. But when she heard about Jesus, she pressed through a crowded street specifically to touch His garment. This action required real physical effort and no small amount of determination, given her weakened condition.

Notice that her faith was not only expressed out loud. Scripture tells us she said within herself that if she could only touch His clothes, she would be made whole. She had a scriptural reason for what she expected. She knew healing could come through something as small as the hem of a garment. She had heard it read from Malachi 4:2 in the synagogue. She only needed to put her faith to work. So, the moment she acted on what she believed down in her heart, her body confirmed what her faith had already been saying the whole time.

There was nothing passive about this hope of hers. It was faith that got her feet moving, drove her through a packed crowd, and stretched her hand out to take hold of what she came for. It was faith that took a conviction on the inside and turned it into something she actually did with her body, and that's what connected her to the healing power that was already right there within reach.

Practical Application

If you are unable to speak your faith out loud right now for any reason, declare it to yourself today, as this woman did, and take one physical step of faith toward what you believe, however small that step may be.

Hebrews 10:35; Psalm 27:13