June 13 & 14, 2009 "Desperation"

Triumphant Victorious Reminders
Inspired by the Holy Spirit
By: Teresa Criswell

"And behold, a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the hem of His garment; for she kept saying to herself, 'If I only touch His garment, I shall be restored to health."
~ Matthew 9:20 & 21 ~

The doctor said with great remorse, "I'm sorry but there is nothing that can be done."
Tears rolled down the patient's cheeks as her voice shook, "Doctor, are you sure?"
The doctor could not look at her as he could not bare to see the desperation in her eyes. Looking down he said, "I'm truly sorry. There is nothing we can do for you, we have the best of the best and even in that there is nothing we can do."

She walked away with her head down; another disappointing report. Yet even in that moment she did not give up hope that she would be healed. Many told her in their subtle ways that it was useless to even hope anymore.

She became desperate. She went to see the doctors of every background. She didn't care anymore. She would not live like this any longer.

With great frustration she thought to herself, "For twleve years I have been stared at, considered an outcast because of my infirmity. I have to be free from this." As she was walking away from the building where her doctor was, she felt weak and tired.

She leaned against the wall of the building and collapsed as she wept. Hope was fading. She no longer wanted to fight for herself. She fought for all these years, and maybe they were right. I just have to learn how to live this way.

Suddenly she heard a passer by say with excitement to someone else, "Did you hear? Jesus is coming through our town to heal a ruler's daughter? He'll be coming through our town. He's the one who does those miracles! We have to see if He is for real."

Suddenly, hope that once faded grew inside this woman like she had never hoped before. "I have to meet Him!" "I have to!" Running to and fro not knowing where she should go, she started to see a crowd gather. Immediately she just knew that they were gathering around this famous man, this man named Jesus.

With great vigor she ran even though her body was growing tired and weak. She had to run to Him. The crowd was growing by leaps and bounds as doubt started to grow trying to steal her hope as she thought, "There is no way I am going to get to Him. What if I get trampled?"

Suddenly, she saw a gap between some of the people and with determination pressed through. She pressed through as they stepped on her hands. The pain of them stepping on her didn't phase her. She was going to do everything in her strength to get to Him. As she looked up through the limbs of many people, she saw His face. She knew it was Him. With everything she had as she closed her eyes as her last effort of hope was before her, she reached out her bruised hands and touched the hem of His garment.

At that moment, Jesus felt the power leave His body and He said, "Who touched me?" Of course, the crowd grew quiet as the disciples I would imagine said, "Jesus, how can we determine who touched you? Look at all of these people who have touched you." The woman embarassed looked up at Him and said, "Jesus, I touched You. I just had to, I just knew that if I only touched your garment I would be restored to health." Then Jesus seeing her, "He said Take courage, daughter! Your faith has made you well. And at once the woman was restored to health."

As I imagine this scene being played out I want to stand up and cheer for this woman. She pressed through in every aspect of her life. I would have to imagine her desperation caused her to do things and go to people that maybe she should not have, however, she was determined to live the way she knew she should.

Finally with determination as she pressed through one final time she was led to the One who she needed to be desperate for. Her focus was on that One person, Jesus Christ. It was no longer in magic, witch doctors and whomever else she was desperate to see, she was now determined to see Jesus.

I pray that no matter what I am going through, or having to persevere through that I will not give up my hope in Christ Jesus.

Whatever you may be believing for, switch your belief over to God. Have faith in God over your situation. Many times I have had faith for a situation to change, yet my faith was misplaced. It was to be set on God and Him alone. So no matter what the result for that situtation, my faith would remain on Him knowing He will lead me through and to where I am destined to go for His glory.

Like the woman who was victoriously restored from the issue of blood, may our focus be touching Him no matter what the cost or pain, knowing that He will look at us and say, "Daughter! Son! Take courage for I Am with you."

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