The woman with blood
Periods. Bleeding. Hormones.
I certainly didn’t expect to be typing those words for a Renewal W2W blog – but here we are!
As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds. A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.
Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” When the woman realised that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
Luke 8: 42b – 48 NLT
To continue our series on women in the Bible, I’m going in a slightly different direction. This woman was unnamed, but she was brilliant, brave, some would say irreverent and the more I’ve looked at this story, the more I admire her.
We find the story in the book of Luke. Jesus was in the midst of His ministry. You can imagine huge crowds surrounding Jesus, with people desperate to talk to him, touch Him and see what’s happening. He stops, turns to his disciples and asks ‘Who touched me?.
It reminds me of those times on the tube in London rush hour – everyone’s crammed in! I can see why Peter said ‘the whole crowd is pressing against you’ (like…duh)
Jesus said – I felt healing power leave my body – someone deliberately touched me. And there was this woman, shaking with nerves. She had been bleeding for 12 years – the poor woman.
Not only that but in the culture of the time she would have been ‘unclean’ and took a big bold step to even come near other people, let alone Jesus. She tried to stay hidden – but ended up falling to her knees in front of Jesus. He healed her completely. And told her to go in peace. So there you go – a woman, we don’t know her name, had some big gynaecological issue – and Jesus heals her. Right there and then!
What can we learn from this?
Firstly – God cares about women. And all of the things that come with being a woman. He cares about periods, period issues, fertility, hormones, menopause – the lot. I believe God wanted this story in the Bible to remind us of that. Having gone through infertility, miscarriage and period challenges, I’m blessed to know that God really cares about what we go through.
If I’m honest my period isn’t something that often features on the top of my prayer list, if it’s there at all. But, if you’re reading this and experiencing any form of period or hormonal issues, guess what – Jesus cares about you too. And it’s an ok thing to pray about! (I’d also strongly recommend getting some advice from your GP too as I do believe God uses the practical around us to help!).
We too often suffer in silence, not talk about these things or get the help we need – yet there is a lot on offer: practically and through Jesus.
The scripture also says she was shaking with nerves. We are so often presented with images of a ‘girl boss’ – women who are supposedly strong and have it all together. Well I certainly don’t have it all together and I think if I was trying to get healing from Jesus on a heavy period I’d be scared too! I love the quote: if you’re scared – do it anyway… I’m reminded of that when I read this – it’s ok to be scared, it’s ok to be vulnerable – we can still reach out for support and take who we are bleeding included – to the very Creator of our lives.
So there you have it. One woman with a lot of blood – and she is free. I said it would be a different blog! But let’s be reminded that God cares about every area of our lives – whatever hormonal or health related challenges we may face, we can pray about anything – and He listens.
Let’s not hide and suffer alone. Let’s continue to move towards Him even if we’re scared – because He loves us and He wants us to bring Him our whole lives – bleeding and all.
Be blessed, Kathryn