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Mark 5:28

²⁸For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I will be made well."

While Jesus was on His way to heal the daughter of the synagogue ruler, a woman tried to sneak up to Jesus in the crowd and touch the tassel of His clothes (Matthew 9:20). She had had a discharge of blood for many years. According to the Laws of Moses, that made her unclean (Leviticus 15:25). She should have been declaring out loud that she was unclean so that others would not touch her and thereby be defiled, but she was desperate. She had spent all her wealth on physicians who did nothing for her (Mark 5:26).

The Jews had a custom of making the strings at the end of their clothes come together to form a tassel. It was tied in five knots to remind them of the five books of Moses. There was an old saying that taught that the tassel of the Messiah would have healing powers. That is why Jesus accused the Pharisees of being prideful for wearing long tassels (Matthew 23:5).

This woman was convinced that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. She had the faith that if she touched His tassel she would finally be healed, and she was! Jesus discerned that power had gone out from Him (Mark 5:30). Certainly others in the crowd had bumped up against Him, but this woman did so with the faith that He was the Messiah and that she would be healed. Jesus did not rebuke her for breaking the Law. He knew how desperate she had been. He told her to go in peace, for her faith had made her well (Mark 5:34). Jesus is teaching us that an essential part of prayer is the faith to believe that He is our Savior and does have the power to answer our prayers. By faith we reach out and touch Him or come near that He may touch us, and the power flows out from Him.

Prayer: Lord, increase our faith!