Your Faith has Made You Whole Matthew 9:22

Matthew the apostle wrote concerning Jesus sharing about sewing “new cloth” on an “old garment” and pouring “new wine” into “old wineskins” when, “behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshiped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.” In chapter nine and verse twenty-two of his book, Matthew shared how Jesus said to the woman, “your faith has made you whole” where we read:

But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; your faith has made you whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

The verse reads, “But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; ...” Matthew began with the word, “but” or “nevertheless, notwithstanding, moreover and” “Jesus” which refers to “the Son of God, the Savior of Mankind and God incarnate whose name means Jehovah is Salvation” “turned him about” or “turned around and returned”, “and when” which means “and at the time and moment” “he saw her” or “Jesus perceived, noticed, discovered and discerned the woman”, “he said” or “Jesus uttered, proclaimed and declared”, “Daughter” which means “female descendant of God who is acceptable and rejoicing in God's peculiar care and protection”, “be of good comfort” or “have good cheer and courage”. Matthew shared how Jesus knew the woman touched Him, and He turned around and spoke comforting words to her.

The verse continues, “... your faith has made you whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.” Matthew added the words, “your faith” or “the woman's conviction of the truth of anything, belief with the predominate idea of trust or confidence whether in God or in Christ” “has made you whole” which means “has saved, kept safe and sound the woman and rescued her from danger or destruction”. “And the woman” which refers to “and the hemorrhaging woman” “was made whole” or “was saved, kept safe and sound the woman and rescued her from danger or destruction” “from that hour” which refers to “from that certain definite time”. Matthew shared how the “woman with the issue of blood”, because of her “faith” in Jesus, was “healed and restored” from the moment she “touched” His “garment”.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus not only recognized this “woman's” “touch”, but also knew she had “faith” to be healed if she did. Jesus told her to “be of good cheer” because she would now have that which she so desperately desired. God desires a relationship with every person who will reach out to Him in “faith” like this woman. He sent His Son Jesus to demonstrate how much He cares about their current conditions, and when they respond to Him like this, He is delighted. We too may be people of “good cheer” as our relationship with Jesus affords us not only “forgiveness of our sins” but also a promise of “everlasting life”. Jesus waits for all who will to simply reach out in “faith” and “touch” Him.

Next time Matthew shares what He heard, “when Jesus came into the ruler's house, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.