The Woman With an Issue of Blood

He Can Do It For You, Too!

Originally published at kevinebeasley.com

The Woman with an Issue of blood is Adapted from Matthew 9:20–22, Mark 5:25–34, and Luke 8:43–48.

The Woman with an Issue of Blood - First Person

Adapted from Matthew 9:20–22, Mark 5:25–34, and Luke 8:43–48.

Blood fell to the ground alongside my tears as I shoved my way between two young men. Both unable to push back due to their own troubles. Although I had spent hundreds of days pining in loneliness, this time I was glad to be alone. I could cut through the crowd faster.

It was enough blood to scare most women my age, even during their cycle. But blood was nothing new to me – I had been dealing with it for over 12 years. Many days, it left me anemic, with barely the energy to make it through the day. My daily blood loss depleted the red blood cells needed to carry oxygen to my muscles. Tiredness and weakness ruled my day. I felt useless and worthless most of the time. The dizziness, headaches, and cold hands and feet were constantly reminding me of the condition that stole away my future.

But it was the pale yellowish skin that tipped off the others.

The physical challenges were definitely difficult, but it was the other side effects of my infirmity that were most devastating. I had no hope for a husband. No chance of motherhood. No children to watch grow into the next generation. I couldn't even make things right in the temple as long as I was bleeding. A woman could only enter the mikvah, or cleansing bath, seven days after she completed her menstrual cycle. I would be ecstatic if I had even one day of relief. But that was six less than enough to be accepted as ceremonially clean.

But I couldn't let those things deter me on this day – the day the Healer came to town.

I knew if my disease were detected, I'd be scorned for being among the people, an unclean woman putting others at risk. Somehow, I found the determination to push through the crowd. I felt like the energy required came from a supernatural source that day.

For twelve years, I'd sought out every kind of doctor I could find, from trained medical doctors to natural healers. Once, I even sought out a magic man – nothing was too far out if they had an answer for this misery. I spent my life savings. I had borrowed all I could in search of an answer. My family avoided me as if I were no longer alive. I had come so close to giving up.

Why continue to live if there was no hope for a husband or children? Why keep fighting if I couldn't even make my way out in public or take sacrifices to the temple? Should I continue in a life so hopeless and full of rejection?

As I walked the long path to meet the healing man, I considered how to end the pain. If it didn't work, if I was unable to get to him, if what they said wasn't true, there was no way forward for me. I couldn't bear the thought of continuing in the hopelessness. So I continued to push and shove my way through the line.

"Hey, lady, wait your turn," someone shouted from behind me. Another woman with only one eye knocked me to the ground. Somehow, I found the strength to hoist myself back to my feet. "What if I don't make it before he leaves?" I thought. Sweat beads formed on my forehead. I looked down at my hands, and they were shaking like a leaf. I worked my way a bit closer to Him.

And then I saw the blood begin to run down my leg toward the ground. I knew that if it were seen, I would be violently pushed away from the crowd, but I couldn't let that happen. Hope began to escape my grip. I was SO CLOSE!

There were only three people between me and my last hope for a life worth living. I fell forward and pushed the two men out of my way. Dropping to the ground, I thrust my hand forward with all the energy I could gather. I grabbed for the beige robe, and the fabric wadded up in my hand. As I fell, my head bounced off the ground. The robe slipped out of my grip.

SILENCE…

For a moment – Silence. It must have only been a few seconds, but it felt like hours. As my head cleared, I heard voices.

I squeezed my eyelids tight as the dust flew off the sandals of the others and into my eyes. One man kicked me and screamed, "Let him go, lady, he's a rabbi and you have no right to touch him."

As I slowly opened my eyes, I saw the Healer standing above me. His head turned, and our eyes met.

"Who is the one who touched me?"

His student lifted his arm and swept it left to right and said, "Rabbi, look around at all the people. What do you mean, who touched you?" "Someone touched me. Power flowed from me. Who was it?"

"What should I do?" I thought to myself. I didn't take the time to answer my own question. Slowly, I pushed myself into a sitting position, then stood, and finally fell to my knees. I dropped my head in shame inches from his feet. I noticed a drop of my blood landing on the top of his foot.

"Rabbi! You are my last hope. For twelve years, I have been hopeless." I could barely voice the words from my parched throat. "I have tried everything. I have spent everything I had to find an answer." I had nothing to lose as I told my secret to the crowd.

"Rabbi, Healer – if you are able, will you heal me?"

The crowd hushed as dust began to settle all around. A man laughed loudly and spat at me from behind. They all waited in anticipation of what the Rabbi might say.

"Daughter."

"Is he speaking to me?" I thought. Even my own father hadn't called me daughter since the flow of blood began. I had lost all hope that anyone would think of me as family again. "No, he can't be." But he was looking straight into my eyes. The look on his face – the smile couldn't lie.

"Daughter, take courage, your faith has made you well!"

I couldn't breathe for a moment! Sitting in shock, I wondered if it could be true. I couldn't explain how I knew, but I could feel it in my body.

I was made well.

Without a thought about what the others might think of me, I began to wail. A gut-wrenching wail of relief. The ladies traveling with Him came to me and wrapped their arms around me, celebrating that a woman with no hope for a family had been made whole. I looked into His eyes again, and He looked back with an expression that said, "You have permission to believe it's true." And after 12 painful years of hopelessness, I let myself believe. Hope against hope!

It's seven days later now, and I'm taking one step at a time down into the mikvah bath to cleanse myself for the temple. I haven't stopped smiling since the day I grabbed His garment. The scar above my left eye will always remind me of the day my head hit the ground as I thrust forward in desperation to grab the robe.

I thought I'd never take an offering to the temple again.

I thought I'd never stand underneath the Chuppah.

But everything changed the day the Healer came to town.

It's real.

He's real.

And he can do it for you, too – if you desperately reach out to touch Him despite what the crowd might think!