Next Door Savior by Max Lucado
"Desperate People" Mark 5:25-34
It is hard to find new insights to scripture readings when you are up against Max Lucado. (I know it is not a competition, but being a guy that competition sort of goes with the territory.) :-)
I do find it interesting that even though the New Testament is almost 2000 years old, human nature has not changed at all over time. The woman in the story tries all other avenues for relief before turning to Jesus. "She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse." (v. 26 NIV) I know in my own life I tired for years to find relief through many nonGod avenues. Alcohol, promiscuity, work addiction were just some of the fixes I hoped would give me the contentment and joy for which I longed. It was not until I allowed Jesus to not only be my Savior, but also my Lord that I began to feel fulfilled. I still have times of inner turmoil, but at least now I turn to prayer and the Bible, not the bars and parties. The wonder is that it took so long for me to realize just how close that relief was.
The danger of this story in Mark is that it could lead the reader to think that all relief from God is immediate. As simple as "touching His cloak". While God can and does still perform radical, immediate healing of both the body, heart and mind, I believe more often the restoration comes gradually and requires an ongoing commitment from the believer. (Perhaps is it this very attitude that has created such a slow metamorphosis in my own life.) Jesus does say, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” (v. 33 NIV) Greater Faith = Greater Healing? Greater Faith = Faster Healing?
So many of the "healing" stories in the New Testament involve immediate relief- sight, mobility, even resurrection. If we base our restoration possibilities on these stories, there is a temptation to give up when we make the same mistakes, have the same maladies or suffer from the same addiction for days, weeks or months after going to Christ on bended knee.
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