Risk

Luke 8:40-48 (The Message)

On his return, Jesus was welcomed by a crowd.

They were all there expecting him. A man came up, Jairus by name. He was president of the meeting place.

He fell at Jesus' feet and begged him to come to his home because his twelve-year-old daughter, his only child, was dying. Jesus went with him, making his way through the pushing, jostling crowd.

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!"

This passage in Luke is fascinating because of its structure. It's really two stories in one. First, we meet Jairus, leader of the "meeting place," and learn that his daughter is deathly ill. But then our attention switches to an anonymous woman in the crowd.

Don't worry, we'll come back to Jairus...

But this woman...what a story. She's been terribly afflicted by hemorrhages for 12 years.

She's spent all of her money on doctors, to no avail.

She's desperate. Impoverished. Though she is not at fault, she probably felt buckets of shame and humiliation.

She's perfectly ripe for an act of great faith.

How often do we really cry out to God when we feel confident, healthy and on top of our games?

Real faith, and connection to God takes vulnerability, humility and a deep acknowledgment of our spiritual and physical need. When we are so broken that we choose to become dependent...then God can do some powerful things.

What a fascinating healing this woman's really is. She doesn't approach Jesus face-to-face. She doesn't verbalize her need. She doesn't even profess her faith.

She acts on it.

She reaches...touches...hopes...strives...believes.

"Daughter," Jesus calls her, "you took a risk...now you are healed."

What better words could we ever hope to hear?

Prayer: Father, we know that today there will be some opportunity for risk. Show us the way and quiet our fears. Teach us the art of vulnerability, soft-heartedness, and risk. You take a chance on us today, may we take the right chances in your world.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.