“If I Only Touch His Cloak"

“Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.” (Matthew 9:20-22 ESV)

While Jesus emptied Himself coming in the form of a servant, He did not empty Himself of his deity; He was still God. This truth is unchanging and eternal, providing us with a firm foundation for our faith. “Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8 ESV) He has been and always will be God.

The woman in these verses suffered greatly for a long time. We do not know her history beyond what Matthew, Mark, and Luke reveal in their Gospels. However, I think it is safe to say that she must have been following Jesus in His teachings. She may have witnessed a miracle Jesus performed on another in her town.

Whatever she knew about Jesus, she knew in her heart that if she touched Christ’s clothing, she would be healed. By her unwavering faith in Jesus, she was healed. Jesus Himself said, “Your faith has healed you.” This serves as a powerful reminder that faith in Jesus can move mountains, even in our most desperate situations.

We receive our salvation through grace by faith in Jesus Christ. Our faith, like grace, is given to us, not earned or learned. It is like the woman in our verses; we realize our need for healing, not of an illness like hers, but from our infection of sin. When we are given grace, we realize all we need to do is touch Jesus, and He will remove our infection. This realization is a powerful testament to the transformative power of faith. We ask Jesus into our lives, and He heals us.

Like the woman in our verses, we know we are healed. There is a supernatural change in us that we know comes from God. Unlike the man at the Pool of Bethesda, who was healed despite his lack of faith, our sin-infected condition that cripples us cannot be healed without faith. One must come to faith in Christ to be made righteous before God, be healed despite our sin nature, and receive salvation through Christ’s finished work on the cross.

Standing in a crowd surrounded by people, the woman told Jesus, and all those listening to her testimony of her healing. Not only was she healed, but having witnessed and heard of her healing, God must have touched many in that moment.

If you know Christ as your Savior, like the woman, tell those around you of God’s grace and healing in your life. Sharing your testimony is not just about recounting your experiences, but it is a powerful way to share the glory of God you experience and to plant the seed of the gospel in others' hearts. While we are still sinners, we have been removed from this world, having been made righteous before God. Share the glory of God you experience and plant the seed of the gospel so that another poor soul may find grace and faith through our Lord, Christ Jesus.

Grace and peace!