Hem
“A Thread of Faith” by Howard Lyon
In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus encourages us to humble ourselves and become like little children to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. There are so many innocent qualities of children that make their love so pure.
If it were up to River, I’d never put him down. If I am not holding him, he is following me around asking me to. Even when we are in the car, he likes for me to hold his hand. When I left early Saturday morning to assist at a retreat for the weekend, he was not excited about my leaving. As I was trying to wrap up loose ends around the house, I could barely walk as he held onto my shirt tail. When I drove off, I prayed that God would console him (and me) and teach me something amid those feelings. I immediately recalled one of my favorite miracles in the gospels, the hemorrhaging woman.
I have always had some connection to her. Imagine the desperation she must have had, bleeding for 12 years with no answers and complete ostracization from society. That is an incredibly long time. I have always wondered if I would have been as hopeful as she when she approached Jesus in the crowd. She believed she just needed to touch Him, even if in the smallest way. It wasn’t the garment itself, but the person wearing it. To River, if my shirt tail is all he can get, that is enough for him. He loves me deeply enough to just need my hem. This woman, humbling herself with faith like a child, loved Him enough to only need His hem.
Luke’s gospel account says, “she explained in the presence of all the people why she had touched him and how she had been healed immediately.” What is interesting about this scenario is that Jesus was in a crowd of people so we are to assume many of them touched him as they moved toward Jairus’ house. But, she touched him with love like a child, with faith enough to be healed. To some, it could be seen as desperate. But, for both her and River, it’s complete confidence in the person they love.
The hemorrhaging woman approached Him with intention and expectation. I need to remember this when I am frustrated at the toddler who simply won’t let me “get anything done.” He approaches me out of devotion. There are so many things I desire for the Lord to heal me of. I want to approach the Lord with this type of child-like dependency, with faith enough to be healed.
