Pushing Through The Crowd

Mark 5:25-34 (The Message)
25-29A woman who had suffered a condition of hemorrhaging for twelve years—a long succession of physicians had treated her, and treated her badly, taking all her money and leaving her worse off than before—had heard about Jesus. She slipped in from behind and touched his robe. She was thinking to herself, "If I can put a finger on his robe, I can get well." The moment she did it, the flow of blood dried up. She could feel the change and knew her plague was over and done with.
30At the same moment, Jesus felt energy discharging from him. He turned around to the crowd and asked, "Who touched my robe?"
31His disciples said, "What are you talking about? With this crowd pushing and jostling you, you're asking, 'Who touched me?' Dozens have touched you!"
32-33But he went on asking, looking around to see who had done it. The woman, knowing what had happened, knowing she was the one, stepped up in fear and trembling, knelt before him, and gave him the whole story.
34Jesus said to her, "Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed! Be healed of your plague."


Yesterday I was reading Jim Hockaday’s book Qualified for a Miracle and as he brought up this story in the Bible I began to think about it and ponder it. This woman was a social outcast. In the Jewish law if she’d been bleeding for all those years she wasn’t to even be in the setting of a large group of people.

I remember that when Pastor Arthur used to teach on this story he used to always joke that when Jesus looked around and asked, “Who touched me?” he was sure that the crowd parted leaving the woman in the center by herself.

Whatever happened this woman had to have little regard for what people thought of her at this point. I’m sure she was tired of struggling, tired of straining, tired of being ostracized and was ready to go after her miracle. She had to put aside social convention and do what she knew she must. She was done caring what people were going to think.

Well meaning doubters will always try to stop you from going to destiny. It doesn’t mean that usually they aren’t looking after what they think is your best interest, but sometimes their “wisdom” turns to discouragement.

I’ve personally been told by various “well meaning people,” to give up dozens of times. I’ve been turned down by just about everyone. My turndown stories from people in the industry are ones that have made me cry, but yet I’ve kept going. Why? Because it doesn’t matter what other people say. When you’ve been told no time and time again something deep down on the inside of you will either choose to quit, or a determined resolve bubbles. It’s like when you’re mixing cement. Adding all the rocks to the water just makes you rock solid and more determined. You have to push back what everyone else has told you. Let social convention go, and be determined to move forward in what God has said.

Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)
3Not only so, but we[a] also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.


God did not bring the sickness on that woman. However that kind of determination and not caring about what other people think I’m sure helped her later in life. After 12 years of sickness, when she walked away from this divine encounter do you think she stayed quiet about it? I’m sure she didn’t. I’m sure she told anyone and everyone she saw! She was probably well known in the area as that sick lady no one could go near. She now had gotten a miracle and was sharing her story with the rest of the community.

Be determined to push past what people have said. Be determined to hear God’s voice on a matter before everyone else’s. Be determined that even if you have to push through a crowd of people you’re going forward and you’re getting that miracle.

Remember, that there will be a day where you have to stand before God and give an account for your life. Somehow I don’t think excuses like, “I’m sorry I didn’t do what you told me to, so and so told me not too.” It will be just you and God in that meeting. You can’t blame your past regrets on other people. Push forward today. Push through the crowd and be determined. Run the race He’s placed before you, and grab hold of your miracle! It’s in Jesus. To quote Kim Clement, “You’re somewhere in the future and you look much better than you look right now!”

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