“In the crowd that day there was a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted with hemorrhages. She had spent every penny she had on doctors but not one had been able to help her. She slipped in from behind and touched the edge of Jesus’ robe. At that very moment her hemorrhaging stopped. Jesus said, ‘Who touched me?’
“When no one stepped forward, Peter said, ‘But Master, we’ve got crowds of people on our hands. Dozens have touched you.’ Jesus insisted, ‘Someone touched me. I felt power discharging from me.’ When the woman realized that she couldn’t remain hidden, she knelt trembling before him. In front of all the people, she blurted out her story — why she touched him and how at that same moment she was healed. Jesus said, ‘Daughter, you took a risk trusting me, and now you’re healed and whole. Live well, live blessed!’” — Luke 8: 43-48
For she who persists.
There’s power in persistence. The word persistence is defined as “firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.” Persistence propels us to move past doubt, fear, expectations of others or even ourselves.
If only we could channel the persistence of the woman in the text. She was a woman who didn’t want to stay in her condition. The custom was that women in her condition were considered impure and anybody that came into contact with her was affected. Nevertheless she persisted and was in the midst of a crowd. That meant pushing her way through the crowd, focused on reaching Jesus. She pushed past the confines of her own comfort zone, society’s expectations on women in her condition and her own issues. She was propelled by her quest not to remain in that same condition. That’s what kept her moving forward.
For she who persists.
This persistence is what Jesus recognized, and the courage she had in sharing her experience in front of everyone. Jesus recognized, received and rewarded her persistence. She was determined not to remain in the same condition that she came with that day. The reward of being healed and whole outweighed the fear of taking the risk.
For she who persists.
The woman teaches us the value and reward of persistence. What are you being called to push past and through? We can learn from the persistence of a woman who took the risk of trusting Jesus because she knew the reward.
Blessed to be a blessing to you,
Rev. Sheila P. Spencer
Rev. Sheila P. Spencer is an author, poet, teacher and preacher. You can contact her at CustomMadeInspiration@gmail.com and her website is www.sheilapspencer.com.
