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- He Sees You as His Child | Matthew 19:18-26
He Sees You as His Child | Matthew 19:18-26
He loves you
Caleb Lee
February 20, 2024
First off, just wanted to say sorry for missing a few days last week. It’s been crazy. But that’s no excuse! So please accept my humble apologies. Especially sorry to Joyce who reaches out every day that I miss. Now let’s get into it!
The more I read Scripture, the more I’m struck by how much God cares about His creation.
As you read more into the details of the miracles, the sermons, and the parables, little details affirm that God knows everything. And He meets us where we need Him the most.
18 While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. 23 And when Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went through all that district.
Matthew’s account is the least detailed of the 3 accounts (the others being in Mark and Luke), but still drives the point home.
Jesus has compassion for the ruler and the ruler’s daughter and agrees to go with him to heal her.
On His way there, a woman who’s been sick for 12 years touches his cloak and gets healed.
It seems like a random detail thrown into the story. But reading the other accounts gives this story a little more detail.
25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
If we zoom into the story, we see that this woman is actively trying to get better. She’s spent all of her money and is at the point of giving up.
And consider the cultural context: Not only is she ceremonially unclean, but she’s also a woman. So she’s been an outcast for 12 years. We don’t get any details about her family or living situation, but it couldn’t have been good.
More than likely she was cast out from her family and community, left to fend for herself to this point.
And then she sees Jesus.
She grabs his cloak as He’s walking by and is instantly healed.
But just as she’s healed, before she can slip away unnoticed, Jesus turns around and asks her to come forward.
This is Jesus we’re talking about. He already knows who touched Him. So why ask?
He wanted her to know that He saw her.
Why?
Jesus knew that this woman suffered for 12 years as an invisible member of society. She was an outcast, someone who was never given a second thought. She was broke, unclean, and a woman.
But Jesus saw her.
Not just as a person who needed healing, but as a daughter.
He sees you and I the same way. As His children.
He knows what you’re going through. He sees you. And He loves you.
I hope you take comfort in that today.
Have a blessed Tuesday, my friends.