I’m a linear thinker. Most days I consider it a superpower, one that serves me well in business, in ministry, and in life. But I confess, there are days when I live and die by my calendar—unsure of how I am, where I am, and even who I am until I make my plans and nail down my schedule.

Thankfully for me—and for us all—Jesus isn’t a linear thinker. When he walked the earth, fully God and fully man, he wasn’t bound by time, nature, or even the Law. Jesus was the Word at the beginning; the One who created these constructs for our benefit.

That said, God is a God of order—and Jesus was always about his Father’s business. If he had a day planner, I’m sure it was full. And yet, no earthly plans could keep Jesus from pausing to put the Father’s love on display.

Case in point, the woman whose story is told in Matthew 9:20–22, Mark 5:25–34, and Luke 8:43–48 had been bleeding out for twelve long, painful years. It’s no wonder she was so desperate to get to Jesus.

“Suddenly, a woman came from behind Jesus and touched the tassel of his prayer shawl for healing. She had been suffering from continual bleeding for twelve years, but had faith that Jesus could heal her. For she kept saying to herself, ‘If I could only touch his prayer shawl I would be healed.’ Just then Jesus turned around and looked at her and said, ‘My daughter, be encouraged. Your faith has healed you.’ And instantly she was healed!”

Matthew 9:20–22 TPT

The woman knew if she could only touch the tasseled edge of his prayer shawl, she would be healed. So she pressed her way through the crowd to reach him. Her faith motivated her boldness and healed her—to her delight and Jesus’ glory.

The Bible doesn’t explain how or why this woman was constantly bleeding. There was no documented medical diagnosis, only the original Greek word haemorrhoissa or “bleeding woman,” which would have left her with nasty labels like “unclean” and “unwelcome” in both social and religious circles under Jewish law. No matter what the cause of her problem, she knew Jesus as Jehovah-Rapha—the Lord Who Heals. She knew one touch would be enough for her.

The irony is that this bleeding woman couldn’t have picked a worse time to interrupt Jesus’ day.

Surrounded by an entourage of disciples and a crowd of spectators, he was walking across town with a prominent Jewish leader named Jairus, whose twelve-year-old daughter was dead or dying. (See Matthew 9:18–19; Mark 5:22–24; Luke 8:41–42.) We don’t know how or why this little girl came face-to-face with death, but we do know that like the bleeding woman, Jairus had faith that Jesus could heal and bring his daughter back to life.

When we compare the two situations, we might quickly conclude that the twelve-year-old girl’s death was far more pressing than the woman who had been bleeding out for twelve years. Jesus certainly couldn’t heal everybody, so he probably had to prioritize, right?

Imagine how exasperated Jairus, the disciples, and the crowd must’ve been when Jesus stopped cold en route to resurrecting the little girl.

“Jesus suddenly stopped and said to his disciples, ‘Someone touched me. Who was it?’ While they all denied it, Peter pointed out, ‘Master, everyone is touching you, trying to get close to you. The crowds are so thick we can’t walk through all these people without being jostled.’ Jesus replied, ‘Yes, but I felt power surge through me. Someone touched me to be healed, and they received their healing.'”

Luke 8:45–46 TPT

Come on now, Jesus, a kid’s life is hanging in the balance! We don’t have time for this! Let’s go!

The poor woman’s heart must have been beating out of her chest. She certainly didn’t mean to interrupt Jesus’ day, let alone steal valuable healing time from a little girl. She hoped to go unnoticed and be healed with a quick touch of a tassel—but now all eyes were on her. 

“When the woman realized she couldn’t hide any longer, she came and fell trembling at Jesus’ feet.”

Luke 8:47 TPT

Lucky for the bleeding woman, Jesus wasn’t in a hurry. He stopped, turned around, and looked right at her. Face-to-face with that gaze of reckless grace, the woman heard the words every person in need of physical, emotional, and spiritual healing wants to hear.

“Beloved daughter, your faith in me released your healing. You may go with my peace.”

Luke 8:48 TPT

If you’ve heard this story before, you know it gets even better.

After Jesus leaves the faith-filled woman who’s been healed, he gets to Jairus’ house, where family and friends have already started to mourn and play a funeral dirge for the little girl.

“Jesus told those left outside, who were sobbing and wailing with grief, ‘Stop crying. She is not dead; she’s just asleep and must be awakened.’ They laughed at him, knowing for certain that she had died. Jesus approached the body, took the girl by her hand, and called out with a loud voice, ‘My sleeping child, awake! Rise up!’ Instantly her spirit returned to her body and she stood up.”

Luke 8:52–56

This intertwined biblical narrative is as true as it is symbolic. The story of the bleeding woman and the dying girl brings heaven and earth together in two separate but related miracles.

• Twelve years—the girl’s age and the length of the woman’s suffering—represents earthly authority and divine perfection that can only come from God.

• The little girl represents Israel, God’s chosen people—who are not dead, but asleep—coming alive in the truth about their identity.

• The bleeding woman represents the church—a bride in need of reform and ready for the Bridegroom—healed and restored to purity on the way to a resurrection of all God’s people.

Jesus was and is Jehovah-Rapha, our Healer. And he will bring healing and deliverance however and whenever he chooses. Will you allow him to bring that healing to you and through you on his schedule, not yours? Will you trust him to supernaturally stretch and crunch time to bring all things together for our good and his glory? Will you give God permission to interrupt your day like Jesus did?

I pray you do. I pray I do, too.

Jesus is coming back for us. Even now, the Father is healing the church in a move that will spark revival and redemption in one fell swoop—if we would have even a tassel’s touch of faith.

Adapted from “The Uncovery: Understanding the Power of Community to Heal Trauma,” (c) 2022 by George A. Wood and Brit Eaton, published by Whitaker House, New Kensington, PA. Used with permission.

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