Skip to main content

Move Your Faith From Private To Public




Have you ever wondered about the Bleeding Woman in Mark chapter 5? While we are on the subject, I seriously think we should consider giving her a name, that’s not something anyone wants to be known as. Maybe we should call her the Woman of Faith... But back to the subject. Or maybe it is part of the subject now that I think about it. I’ll get to that in a bit.

Instead of receiving healing and going on her merry way as I often do, she moved to a position of worship in front of Jesus. Her faith compelled her to go to Jesus for healing and her faith also compelled her to worship Him publically.

I don’t mind God knowing about all my junk, but I don’t necessarily like anyone else to know. Are you with me? I tend to want to only show the good and keep the bad and ugly hidden away. Keep it just between God and I.

To move in front of Jesus and publically worship for healing meant others would know her problems and that she needed healing. She opened herself up to the eye of the public. She had received the healing. She could have just slipped away. There was a large crowd. She could have just blended in. Mailed Him a thank you note or text message.

But Jesus called her out. He gave her the opportunity to come forward. The opportunity to worship. The opportunity to move from private faith to public faith. The opportunity to grow in humility.  The opportunity to be a living example. The opportunity to be forever labeled by her sickness but with her faith shining a different perspective on it.

We all have struggles, defects and problems in our lives. Just as she did. We don’t want others to know about these issues we have, we want respect and acceptance and privacy. We don’t want our reputation marred by sin, failures or shortcomings. But we need healing.  And a faith that is real is a faith that  brings us to Christ where we find healing.

So back to her name. Or lack of, rather. She is still centuries later known as “The Bleeding Woman”.  I’m just guessing here, but I bet that is not what she would have chosen to be known as, if it was up to her.

But maybe it is actually a good thing. God takes us as we are. We don’t have to hide our identity. We don’t have to become someone we are not. All He requires is faith. And He changes and perfects us from there.

Maybe she didn’t mind that identity, after all. It described who she used to be, but because of His grace, she was changed. Just maybe she liked the contrast between her past and present, showing the power of the One who healed her.

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Precious One

I enjoyed tucking my daughter in tonight, we talked and even giggled when I broke out spontaneously in a ridiculous rendition of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. “Mom, rub my face like you used to” she requested. She shut her eyes as my fingers danced lightly around her face, something she used to like when she was a little girl. She drifted off to sleep and my thoughts drifted to praying for her. “Father, keep her from evil and keep evil from her… "She is Yours, help her to know that and live it and find satisfaction in nothing and no one else…." I was struck by the truth that her life and soul mean infinitely more to me than anything this life can offer. As I prayed, God re-ordered some things in my life and refocused my heart. I have been anxious to repaint my living room a fresh new color. Yet compared to the vital task of raising this young woman, building a God-world view in her life, my living room and so many other desires took a back seat and seemed so unimportan...
3 comments
Read more

Got The Poor Mama Blues? You Need To Do These 10 Things

I'm sharing this in the Titus2sdays Link Party! Check out the other encouraging posts linked there! Tired of the whining? Tired of dealing with disobedience? Tired of getting up at night? Tired of mess after mess? Tired of dressing them, feeding them, wiping noses…and bottoms? Tired? That’s normal. It happens . Even to the best mamas. So what do you do with these feelings? These frustrations? You can’t hide. You can’t change your name. You can’t run away. So what’s a mama to do? The middle of winter is when it usually hit me. Cabin fever sets in both you and the kids. And you find yourself coming down with a bad case of the Blues.   The Poor Mama Blues. But this can’t be blamed on anyone but yourself. Your emotions and attitudes belong to no one else but you. You are in charge of them. You are in charge of what your emotions and attitudes are in any given situation. Sounds harsh? Yes. But honesty is your friend here. Your emotions come upon you without no...
Post a Comment
Read more

I Want To See Your Splendor

The alarm woke me at 5:45 and pulled me back into my somewhat normal routine after almost 2 weeks of busy-wonderful Christmas break. The verse highlighted in bright pink caught my attention as I thumbed through the pages of my bible. Psalm 90.6 (NIV) May Your deeds be shown to Your servants, Your splendor to their children.     “ I want to see Your splendor. Lord, show me your splendor today.” I declared right there in my kitchen, while it was still dark outside and the day had not yet began for many. Only then I made breakfast, had another cup of coffee, made my bed, packed my lunch, threw some laundry in and went to work. I went on with my very ordinary day and forgot all about it. I forgot to look for His splendor. I was too engrossed in my day to watch for Him to show up. It wasn’t until the next morning that I even gave it another thought. I really do want to see His splendor. I want to see it right in the midst of my oh-so...
Post a Comment
Read more