Hemorrhaging Woman

“Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe, for she thought, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment.” (Matthew 9:20-22 NLT)

This woman has been hurting privately for a long time. She feels yucky, unwholesome, and unworthy. Because of her shame, she approaches Jesus unobtrusively. From the fringe of society, she reaches out to touch the fringe of Christ’s robe.

Many of us are bleeding internally. We have been hemorrhaging for a long time. Yet we have learned how to keep our lesions under wraps.  These unhealed, private wounds make us feel unacceptable, messed up, and unworthy. We rarely even acknowledge our brokenness to ourselves, much less present them to God, until one day, our desperation supersedes our embarrassment, and we reach out to Christ for healing.

Lord Jesus, I have been hemorrhaging for a long time. The constant loss and suffering have left me broken and desperate. I am ashamed to even admit these issues that I have kept hidden.  I feel unworthy to approach you. Yet I know that if I get close enough to you, I can be healed. I beseech You to stop all this bleeding and make me whole.