Today's Card: A Woman's Wisdom on Your Behalf

From the story of the Hemorrhaging Woman

Last week’s card and story was that of Jepthah’s Daughter. Remember how her father sought out Jesus and then begged him to come to his home in order to heal her? While that was happening, another story was taking place at the very same time.

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Her story:

While a father was desperately advocating for his 12-year-old daughter, a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years made her way through the crowd, determined to get to Jesus herself. (The numerical significance alone here, is stunning: one has yet to start bleeding and the other has been for many, many years; one is at the start of her life and the other far closer to its end; one is advocated for and loved and the other is shunned and alone. SO much here to consider, reflect on, and be amazed by!)

This woman has exhausted every bit of money she has, been to healers (and snake oil salesmen, no doubt); she’s tried everything and all to no avail. It’s important to know that at that time any woman who was bleeding (menstruation or otherwise) was disallowed from being anywhere near other people. Still, despite everything that was working against her, she held onto hope. She says to herself, “If only I can touch the hem of his garment, surely I shall be healed.”

I don’t know how she managed to hold onto enough courage, enough perseverance, enough hope to believe this in the first place, let alone risk the ostracization and ridicule she undoubtedly faced for being seen in public in the first place. But that is, of course, what makes her so amazing . . . and so worth us knowing and honoring!

But wait, there’s more!