Even Though She Was Healed, Why Did She Tremble?
While in the city, a woman - who had been struggling with a blood condition for 12 years - heard the Savior was in town.
From what we do know, she “had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse (Mark 5:26).”
Her last bit of savings had been spent, and presumably her last bit of faith had been held in reserve for what she was about to do.
“When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague (Mark 5:27-29).”
Twelve years of her life were accompanied by agony, but within seconds, not even, she was healed simply by touching His - The Savior’s - garment.
This woman came to be healed, however, Christ had something else in store for her, something more.
But first, “Who touched my clothes?” asked Jesus.
Undoubtedly confused, Christ’s disciples looked around and said, “Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me (Mark 5:31)?”
However, as the Savior looked around, He noticed someone out of the corner of His eye.
It was her. The woman who touched Him.
Their eyes meet.
With fear in her eyes and love in His, the woman came and fell before Him, trembling because of what she had done.
Was she afraid that Jesus might rebuke her?
Perhaps she had been rebuked in the past by others, maybe a husband, boyfriend or physician.
We don’t know.
We do know a miracle she had been waiting for all of her life had just been realized, but instead of celebrating, she was fearful.
Stooping down to her level, the Savior reassured her troubled heart.
“And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague (Mark 5:32-34).”
This woman only came to be healed, and she was, but more importantly, she was relieved of something that had caused her even more anguish; her broken heart.
She was forgiven, and her heart was put to rest.
There are several lessons to draw from this experience, but first and foremost, we learn that if we ask for a piece bread, Christ will give us a loaf.
In this woman’s case she only asked to be healed, and in return for her faith, Christ healed her heart and forgave her.
“True, her faith had already been in part rewarded, but of greater worth to her than the physical cure of illness would be the assurance that the divine Healer had granted the desire of her heart, and that the faith she had manifested was accepted by Him (James E. Talmage, Jesus The Christ).”
Christ rewards honest and candid faith, even our last bit that has been held in reserve.
He doesn’t ask for much, just a mustard seed’s worth of faith.
If we can do just that, He can make a single loaf turn into several, just as He did with this woman and just as He turned water into wine.
The second great lesson we can draw from experience is that Christ’s atonement is very real and very personal.
This woman believed she could be healed because of her faith in Jesus Christ, however, she may have not realized she could also be forgiven by the same.
As you and I approach the Savior to be healed, we too can receive the same mercy and forgiveness.
Troubled hearts can be mended and anguished souls put to rest.
Such blessings may not happen when we hope, but when they do come - and they will - the blessings will be more than we expected or would have hoped for.
