There’s a story in Matthew 9 where Jesus has two very different opportunities to intervene in two very different people’s lives. A synagogue leader needs immediate healing for his daughter. A woman who has had an issue of blood for twelve years desires to finally be healed.
While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, ‘My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.’ Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.
Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, ‘If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.’
Jesus turned and saw her. ‘Take heart, daughter,’ he said, ‘your faith has healed you.’ And the woman was healed at that moment.
When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and the people playing pipes, he said, ‘Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.’ But they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. News of this spread through all that region. (Matthew 9:18-26, NIV)When I watch people receive relatively quick healing in a crisis situation, it’s easy to feel like Jesus doesn’t see my less urgent longing for healing. When I read this story, I can’t help but marvel at his response to this woman. She knew that she just needed to touch Jesus to be healed. He took the time to speak to her, to affirm her, to see her. Then He took the time to go heal a young girl.
Jesus isn’t up in heaven trying frantically to fix all the world’s problems. He wants to know each of us, our struggles and our triumphs. With Him, all things are possible. He wants us to expect Him to intervene, in His timing, for His glory.
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