Mark 5:20-29: a reflection

20He went his way, and began to proclaim in Decapolis how Jesus had done great things for him, and everyone marveled. 21When Jesus had crossed back over in the boat to the other side, a great multitude was gathered to him; and he was by the sea. 22Behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, came; and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23and begged him much, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Please come and lay your hands on her, that she may be made healthy, and live.” 24He went with him, and a great multitude followed him, and they pressed upon him on all sides. 25A certain woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26and had suffered many things by many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better, but rather grew worse, 27having heard the things concerning Jesus, came up behind him in the crowd and touched his clothes. 28For she said, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be made well.” 29Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.

A woman had suffered a flow of blood for twelve years, and Mark notes what she had already tried: she had suffered many things at the hands of many physicians, had spent all that she had, and was no better, but rather grew worse. Every other remedy had failed her, and left her poorer and sicker. And then, having heard of Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his clothes, saying, If I just touch his clothes, I will be made well. When all else had failed, she reached out to Christ in faith; and immediately she was healed.

Notice when the woman turned to Christ: after every other remedy had failed. She had tried the physicians, spent all she had, and only grown worse; she had exhausted every other help. And then she came to Christ, reaching out in faith to touch his garment, and found in him the healing that nothing else had given. When all else had failed, she came to Christ, and he did not fail her. The One she reached out to after everything else had failed was the One who could actually help.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can exhaust every other remedy before turning to Christ. We can spend ourselves on every other help, every other solution, and only grow worse, before at last reaching out to Christ; and we can wait until all else has failed to turn to him. But the woman found that Christ, whom she reached only after everything else had failed, was the One who could truly help. When you have tried every other remedy and only grown worse, do not despair as though there were no help; reach out to Christ in faith, as the woman reached out to touch his garment, and find in him the help that nothing else could give. Better still, turn to Christ before you have exhausted every other help, rather than only at the last; but even if you come to him only after all else has failed, he will not fail you, as he did not fail the woman who reached out to touch his clothes when every physician had failed her.

Lord Jesus, a woman had suffered a flow of blood for twelve years, and Mark notes what she had already tried: she had suffered many things at the hands of many physicians, spent all that she had, and was no better, but grew worse. Every other remedy had failed her. And then, having heard of you, she came up behind you in the crowd and touched your clothes, saying, if I just touch his clothes, I will be made well. When all else had failed, she reached out to you in faith; and immediately she was healed. Show me when she turned to you: after every other remedy had failed. She had exhausted every other help; and then she came to you, and found in you the healing that nothing else had given. When all else had failed, she came to you, and you did not fail her. Take that to my heart, for I too can exhaust every other remedy before turning to you. I can spend myself on every other help, every other solution, and only grow worse, before at last reaching out to you. But the woman found that you, whom she reached only after everything else had failed, were the One who could truly help. When I have tried every other remedy and only grown worse, keep me from despairing as though there were no help; help me reach out to you in faith, as the woman reached out to touch your garment. Better still, help me turn to you before I have exhausted every other help; but even if I come to you only after all else has failed, you will not fail me, Lord, as you did not fail her.