White like snow

(This year, I want to interact on a deeper level with my devotional reading. I continue to follow Grant Horner's reading system, which has been a blessing to me for over 2 years. This year provides the additional fellowship through Tim Challies' 3650 challenge. I am going to try to write about what I am seeing in the text on a regular basis, though I won't promise to do so daily. However, rather than reflecting on each passage, my goal is to identify connections between the text and to write about those. For example, two of the passages I read today were Matthew 9 and 1 John 1.  I am going to try diligently to stick to the passages I am reading each day). 

She wore her discouragement like a deep red veil. All of her hope was gone as she walked the streets alone. In the past, she sought help wherever it might be found. With each failed treatment, her hope dwindled like so many drops of blood from an unhealing wound. She had exhausted her resources. She had nearly exhausted her faith.

How long had she followed him? What wonders had she seen him perform? Whether a moment or a month, she finally plucked up enough courage to approach him. Matthew 9:20-21 reads, "And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, 'If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.'" Her culture told her she was unclean, but this man had healed others. He forgave their sins. She likely knew that the religious leaders considered him a blasphemer (Matthew 9:2), yet he fixed what was broke and that was a cause for hope.

Her faith was not unfounded. "Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, 'Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.' And instantly the woman was made well." (Matthew 9:22). Jesus, followed by the masses, turned to the woman the masses could not help and he called her daughter. The term is affectionate. Her faith made her his child. Her faith in him made her clean.

He offers healing to the hopeless, fellowship to the faithful. According to 1 John 1:7, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin." By his wounds, he heals the wounded. By his blood, he cleanses the faithful.

When you feel like this woman, when it seems that all hope is lost, remember that there is one who is eager to call you daughter.