Devo March 22 Luke 8:42-48

42 ……   As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.   45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.  When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”  46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”  47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

Meditation:
Often we thought that when we are in desperate need of something from God – in a crisis caused by cancer, bankruptcy, chronic depression, inescapable grief, or loss of faith – we must come boldly and confidently into God’s presence if we expect him to answer our prayer.  Yet this woman came in fear and trembling, having no idea what might happen, but thinking, “If I can just touch the edge of his cloak, who knows?” Sometimes all we can do is struggle toward God from behind and stretch with what little we have left in us to touch the edge of him, hoping he will not be angry with us or ignore us, hoping something will happen that we are almost beyond believing can happen.  We discover, to our astonishment, that nothing more than this is required, and we live.

Have you ever been too frightened to come to God with a problem?  Why?  How would this story help you as you face desperate situations?

Talk to God about the problem you are facing.  Bring all your fear, uncertainty, lack of faith, or eagerness, hope and thanksgiving to God.  Talk to him and wait for him to speak.