it is 7:00 am
the sky is grey, the air outside heavy and humid
i am at my table, reading about the woman who had bled for twelve years, and tears are pouring down my face
twelve years . . .
twelve long years . . .
maybe she felt like Job
maybe she cried in her heart
oh that You would hide me in Sheol
that You would conceal me until Your wrath be past
that you would appoint me a set time and remember me!
my face is red with weeping
and on my eyelids is deep darkness
although there is no violence in my hands
and my prayer is pure
even now
behold
my Witness is in heaven
and He who testifies for me
is on high
my eye pours out tears to God
my spirit is broken
all my members are like shadow
and yet Job said, and she believed, and i believe
i know that my Redeemer lives
and at last He will stand upon the earth
and after my skin has been thus destroyed
yet in my flesh i shall see God
whom i shall see for myself
and my eyes shall behold not another
i'm listening to this, and feeling like i just have to know how to
come up behind him in the crowd and touch his garment
and even at the end of her twelve long years of bleeding and pain and searching and trying and trying and trying to bring her overwhelming, over-taking, over-arching blighted condition to an end, after twelve years of spending money and seeking counsel and accepting treatments and things going from bad to even worse, she was bled of every last resource she had, and yet should could say and believe
if i touch even His garment, i will be made well
i will be made well. i will be whole. i will have peace.
reach out
touch the hem of His garment
the hem of His robe fills the temple
and in Jesus, the curtain that hid the holiest place
the place where God dwells
was rent asunder.
there is no separation anymore.
in Jesus, the holiest place is accessible to us,
the hem of God's robe is there for the touching
i am reaching
putting my faith into trembling motion
oh, that my faith is enough.
i am with the long-suffering woman
we need an answer
we need an end
we need a new beginning
after twelve long years
may my faith be enough and Your grace be sufficient
and in Jesus, my Witness, He Who testifies for me in heaven,
i will touch the hem of Your robe
and when Your time is right, You will tell me to
go in peace and be freed from suffering
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scripture references Mark 5:24-34, Job 14:13, 16:16-17&19, 19:25-27, Isaiah 6:1, Matthew 27:51