Have you ever felt like you were invisible?
Luke 8:43-48
“When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace.
My husband and I were eating at a local restaurant the other day. We were enjoying our meal and our glasses were about half empty/full, (LOL) however you look at that!
The waitress came over and asked my husband if he needed a refill. He responded, “sure,” and off she went. I didn’t really think much about it at the moment (even though my glass could have used a refill), I didn’t want a refill.
However, we finished our lunch and our plates were empty. Once again, the waitress came over and asked to take his plate, never once acknowledging that I was even sitting there?
Petty, I know. But, at that moment the thought crossed my mind, “Am I invisible?”
Have you ever felt invisible? I cannot imagine how the woman in our passage today must have felt most of her life! Anonymous, invisible, unimportant, unloved, unclean, oh my, the list is long of words that might come close to describing how she felt!
This woman was very alone. No one wanted to be near her and certainly didn’t want to hear her speak. She could not go out in public. She could not be hugged by her own family!
We thought Covid quarantine was bad, this poor woman was in quarantine 12 years! She tried everything she could to be healed. Her resources ran dry. But, then, there was JESUS!
This woman came up with a plan! I imagine that she thought she would sneak up behind Jesus in the midst of the crowd and just touch the hem of his garment and no one would ever know. She believed that would be enough! And, it was!
At that moment, she wanted to remain anonymous. She certainly didn’t want to be called out by Jesus himself!
She was so desperate to be healed, she did not worry about her consequences of what might happen, outside the fact that she is a woman which carried its own consequences.
Man says…show me and I’ll trust you. God says…trust me and I’ll show you.
(Psalm 126:6). Her faith wasn’t placed in one thread of hope. The thread that was sewn into Jesus’ garment held the power to heal her upon her touch!! Wow.
This is the Christ she knew could bring healing if she could only manage to touch him.
And…He can do the same for you!
Jesus’ response was beautiful! He wasn’t angry with her. He just wanted to see who demonstrated this bold act of love and faith by trusting in a touch! In HIS touch!
He wanted her to know, she was not anonymous, invisible, unloved, but that she had been healed and her testimony was just heard as she explained out loud by hundreds of people in the crowd that day!! Jesus was proud of her!
It was like Jesus was saying, “Step out and let us see you, my child!” “You are mine and you are loved and important!” “Daughter, your faith has made you well! Go in peace and be freed from your suffering. Mark: 5:34
You are not anonymous my friend! God is seeking you out!
As for you, LORD, you know me…..You see me! (Jeremiah 12:3