Healed By The Touch Of His Robe!

"Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone." (Luke 6:19)

Jesus obviously had incredible miraculous powers. He healed without failure. And when He healed, the result was total healing, not partial healing, or temporary relief of an issue. When He made the blind see, you  can be sure they had 20-20 vision as a result. And when he made the lame walk, you can be sure they didn't walk with a limp once they were healed. And when He casted out a demon from someone, you can be sure that demon was long gone.

Early on in His ministry, when people got word of His healing power, great crowds gathered around Him. After all, wouldn't you? Some were just curiosity seekers. Others wanted to hear what He taught. And many came who were sick, or brought those who were sick, with the purpose of being healed. It all started soon after Jesus was baptized and went into the wilderness for 40 days, being tempted by Satan. But when He returned from that ordeal, right away He starting picking His disciples, and began to teach and perform healing miracles. 

"Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people."  (Matthew 4:23)

Of course, He used the miracles to His advantage. They helped to establish that He was sent from God (they didn't realize yet He was God in human form). Miracles gave credibility to His teachings. And teach He did. And miracles He did. As a matter of fact, the Bible gives us only a brief snapshot of the things Jesus did.

"Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written." (John 21:25)

So many of His miracles are absolutely stunning, but there is one that really has always amazed me. It's the one where a sick woman has a belief and a plan that if she simply gets close enough to Jesus and is able to just touch His robe, she will be healed completely and permanently. Quite a plan. And probably a common plan since people often crowded around Him. "As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him." (Luke 8:42)

So she goes for it. She somehow works her way through the crowd, getting closer and closer to Jesus. If she can just get close enough to reach out and touch a piece of His garment, just the fabric itself, she is convinced she will be healed from a sickness, a bleeding that had not stopped for 12 years! And for 12 years, nobody was ever able to heal her. At least, no one until now. 

She managed to work her way up behind Jesus, and without Him even noticing, and without Him even seeing her, she reached out as far as she could, and for an instant, was able to make contact with the fringe of His robe. The fringe was most likely the hem, or the lower border of His robe. Could she have been stooping, or even crawling? 

In my mind, her fingertips just brushed against it. And guess what? Immediately the bleeding stopped! She was healed at that instant, completely and permanently, and without Jesus even seeing her or knowing she was there behind Him! That's power!  

"Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped." Luke 8:44)

Jesus knew something had happened though. He sensed it. He didn't know who it was that touched Him, but He knew this - He felt His healing power go out! Yes, Jesus not only had the same 5 senses we have, He had an additional one, and probably a few more. When He asked His disciples who touched him, everyone denied it, and then Peter responded in sort of a dry, matter-of-fact way, “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.” (Luke 8:45)  

But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” When the woman realized 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." (Luke 8:46-47)

I love the response Jesus gave after hearing her explain her story, her sickness, and her belief in who He was, and her confidence that if she just touched Him, she would certainly be healed.

“Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” (Luke 8:48)

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!