The story of the bleeding woman in the gospels is one which I believe is repeated over and over again to the point that it feels like myth. A nice story about a woman who was bleeding for twelve continuous years and who was healed by Jesus simply because she touched the edge of his robe. I have the bad habit of allowing my eyes to glaze over as I read through the gospels because the stories are familiar to the point of dull. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you can read the story here)

I lose the wonder.

I lose the magic.

I lose the awe of the entire thing.

It is when stories become this familiar that I find it necessary to slow down and read then reread the story. Listening for what it is God might want to say to me within that story.

I don’t leave it alone until he gives me something.

One such day with this woman’s story brought tears to my eyes.

Because of the religious laws at the time, this woman would have had to walk around announcing her presence by shouting “Unclean! Unclean!” This would have kept rabbis and teachers of the law and priests far from her, protecting their cleanliness and ability to worship God through the religious rules kept by the temple leaders. But this time she walked through the crowd in silence so that the only indication she was there was the feeling Jesus had that power left him.

No announcement. No request for healing. No attention drawn to herself at all.

And he noticed her.

For the bleeding woman, the unclean woman, the one kept out of society because of her medical condition, the moment she tried to blend into the crowd, Jesus called her out because he healed her. He could have let her go on her way. But I think he wanted to make a connection with her. To let her know he saw her, noticed her, loved her and met her need.

To her she was not just one in a crowd. Her story isn’t just one of hundreds. Her story is special, unique, and important.

In the same way you are special, unique, and important. Whatever your story, whether you feel it is not worth mentioning or exceptional, God sees you too. And when you reach out to touch his robe, when you call out in prayer, one of the many coming to him, he feels your touch on his robe. His power is going out towards you, too.

“Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed.48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”Luke 8:45-48

I personally have felt one of the crowd for far too long and I believe God is calling me out from it. I don’t believe any of us blend into a crowd and I pray you experience being seen, soon. For you are.

Please feel free to download the following (very basic) image to use as a lock screen if this Scripture encourages you as it does for me.

This post was prompted by the word “Crowd” with the Five Minute Friday community link up. We write for five minutes with few edits (ok, a couple here and there) and you are more than welcome to join us!