Gutsy Faith
Ever know someone, or read about a quality a person has, and your thoughts go to “I want summa THAT’, I want what they have.” I recently had those thoughts, not in a jealous way, but a ‘divine gotta have’ way. In my study time I came across a very gutsy gal. Mark 5:24-34, the woman with the bleeding issue. Oh I know, when we get to this area of scripture, due to the ‘topic’ we may tend to skim fast over it, yet it has AMAZING 
lessons for us.
lessons for us.Verse 25 describes this gal as one who had been afflicted for a very long time. She had sought help elsewhere, yet instead of improving, her condition worsens. I love verse 27, “When she heard about Jesus, she came…” One resource claims that she may have traveled some 30 miles to get there.
The story proceeds with, “she came up behind Jesus in the crowd and touched His cloak.” This alone is a gutsy step of faith, she came to Him ‘in the crowd.’ Let’s think about this. She is, as culture and tradition states, ceremonially ‘unclean’ due to the bleeding issue. She should, from a distance declare herself unclean and stay away. “She came…”
Out of confident desperation she says, “if I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.” Many times emphasis can be lost in the translation. The word used here for ‘if’ in the Greek can be rendered, since or because. May I be so bold to translate it this way, “Due to the fact that because I touched Jesus’ clothes, I WILL be healed.” Yep, that is some strong gutsy faith! Verse 29, “…immediately her bleeding stopped!”
Interesting note, the word used in the narrative for her touching Jesus’ garment doesn’t imply she just reached out and flicked her hand across the hem. She GRABBED it! She grabbed that garment so tight, that she may have left an imprint of her hand on it. She KNEW, she believed that all it took was to grab His cloak and she WOULD be healed! “She touched…”
As I read through this, I felt the Lord say that I too am (we all are) like G.G. at times (I nicknamed her Gutsy Gal) We may not have a physical ailment, but we have issues, stuff, we can be lost in our own affliction, and be there a LONG time, seeking help elsewhere. What will it take to bring us to the realization that He will help us. Do we have the faith to come to Him and not stay away. Confidently reach for Him and KNOW He will meet us in our need. It may take some gutsiness on our part, some faith reaching, strong grabbing, and by golly don’t worry about the crowd … JUST COME TO JESUS!
Oh, that OUR ‘if’ of current circumstance would be said with such belief, “Because I came to Jesus, not worrying about those around me, reached out, touched Him, I will be ________________ ” (YOU fill in the blank)
In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” ~ Heb. 10:24)
Inspired Fountain 
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