FAITH RISKS FAILURE!

FAITH RISKS FAILURE!

Mark 5:25-34

25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.

33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

          This woman’s faith was based upon what she had heard about Jesus. She had heard that Jesus was a good and kind man. Others had told of his compassion and his ability to heal. Romans 10:17 says that “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” So the woman’s faith was born and grew by the reports she had heard of Jesus.

          She developed a plan by faith! No report had outlined a specific plan of action so she formulated her own. She would sneak up on Jesus while he was in a crowd and touch the hem of his robe. She was convinced that healing power would flow from Him to her and that she would be healed. There was, however, a strong risk of failure. What if her plan was not the right plan? She knew of no better formula. What if Jesus demanded that she confront him personally and openly? Then she would fail. What if her entire plan were flawed? She had failed so many times before that she was willing to chance failure again.

          Suddenly Jesus felt virtue, dunamis (dynamite), flow from Him! Someone had touched his clothes. The disciples wondered that Jesus had said this because he was being jostled by the crowd. Yet Jesus knew that someone had touched Him with purpose and with success. The difference was faith!

          Christians are often called fools by those without faith because faith is always accompanied by the possibility of failure. When Peter walked on the water and then began to sink, it was not because he had stepped on a soft spot on the water’s surface. It was because he had suddenly lost faith. I think Jesus was both pleased and disappointed in Peter. He was pleased because he discounted the possibility of failure to succeed in walking on water. Only when he acknowledged the impossibility of his actions did he sink.

          You have heard of Jesus and His many wonderful works. Today’s difficulties may demand a miracle. Formulate a plan based upon the fame of Jesus and follow through. Faith always risks failure.

Dear Father, honor the faith of your children today and heal us of our plagues. AMEN