Power of belief: Mark 5:27-29

She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I will be made well." And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.

My wife often reminds me that there is no such thing as coincidence. That may be, but today, I enjoyed the coincidence in my study. Every day, after reading, I like to find one or two verses, sometimes three, to post on Facebook. Today, I chose the passage above. For my journal here, I had thought I might write about Jesus either silencing demons or telling the people he had just healed not to spread the news. But as I was studying my "Called by the Gospel" book, I was reminded of an interesting contrast ... the disciples, especially in Mark's text, just don't get it. But the Canaanites, the Samaritans, the Romans, the sinners do.

Mark's portrayal of the disciples is most unflattering. In this gospel, the disciples do not understand who Jesus is or what Jesus is about. Jesus chose the disciples to follow him (Mark 3:13-19) and gave them personal instruction (Mark 4:10-20). But they just don't get it. They do not understand a simple parable (Mark 4:13). They "did not understand" the feeding of the five thousand nor when Jesus walked on the sea (Mark 6:51). Although Jesus pleaded with them to "understand" (Mark 7:14), they were "without understanding" (Mark 7:18). The disciples think that Jesus' metaphoric warning about the "leaven of the Pharisees" (Mark 8:15) is a complaint about a lack of bread. With exasperation, Jesus twice retorts, "Do you not yet perceive or understand?" (Mark 8:17, 21). Twice, the lack of understanding by the disciples is equated with hardness of heart (Mark 6:51; 8:17) -- a serious charge first leveled by pharaoh who enslaved the Israelites in Egypt (Exodus 7:13).

Meanwhile, we have healings like in Mark 5:27-29. Think about it. Here is a woman, who is quite embarrassed, who is quite put out by the Jews for being unclean, doing something amazing. She believes; she understands that Jesus can heal her.

Here is a woman who has been bleeding for twelve years! For twelve years, she has not declared unclean. For twelve years, she is longing to come close to God. For twelve years, she hasn't been allowed to come near. She has probably spent a small fortune trying to do it herself.

And then Jesus shows up.

If I just touch his robe, I will be healed, she says to herself.

At once, Jesus realized the power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes? Who touched me?"

Wow! I can see her now, shriveling up, crumbling in shame the Jews gave her for being unclean. She trembles. "What have I done?" she says to herself.

What she has done is believed!

"Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace, and be freed from your suffering."

I have said this over and over. But it's so true: Believe, and you will be freed from suffering, especially freed from eternal suffering where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, where there will be darkness, the place where you will be left alone, without God. Believe, Jesus calls, and you will be forgiven. Believe, and you will be healed.

Believe!