I am one who has an investigative mind and is always seeking and asking at least three layers of the question “why”.
Have you ever wondered, as I have, why the woman with the issue of blood said, “If I could touch the hem of His garment I shall be healed…”? Why not His hands or feet? Why his hem?
And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: 21 For she said within herself, “If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole”. 22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, “Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole”. And the woman was made whole from that hour. (Matthew 9:20-22 KJV)
“But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.” Malachi 4:2 (NASB)
The word “wings” here is the Hebrew word kanaph. It can mean wing, or the border or edge of a garment.
From kanaph; an edge or extremity; specifically (of a bird or army) a wing, (of a garment or bed-clothing) a flap, (of the earth) a quarter, (of a building) a pinnacle — + bird, border, corner, end, feather, overspreading, skirt, uttermost part, wing
This woman with the issue of blood had heard that the Messiah had come, and if this was the case, she knew the scripture said He would come with healing in the edge of His garment.
She fulfilled this prophecy by touching His hem and being healed, and she exercised faith – both in the fact that He was 1) the Messiah – the sun of righteousness, and 2) the scripture telling her there was healing in the hem of His garment.
Today we have the Spirit of God living in us and giving life to our mortal bodies, and so we have become an extension of His hem through which others may be made whole by a touch of faith.
Father, I pray that all those who read this will both learn to touch others in faith and be carriers of Your Spirit in such a measure that others can be healed just by touching them. Let Your Spirit rest heavy upon them now so they will be healed healers for Your Kingdom!
— Ken Nichols
Comments