A Lesson About Faith
Mark 5:25-34
This woman was very ignorant. She fondly imagined that virtue came out of Christ by a law of necessity, without his knowledge or direct will. She supposed that the holiness and divinity of his nature had communicated a mysterious efficacy to his garments… She had true faith, but there was, to say the least, a tinge of superstition in it.
Moreover, she was a total stranger to the generosity of Jesus’ character, or else she would not have gone behind to steal the cure which he was so ready to bestow. Had she known the love of Jesus’ heart she would have said, “I have but to put myself where he can see me, his omniscience will teach him my case, and his love will at once work my cure.” We admire her faith, but we marvel at her strange ignorance; for how could she imagine that she would be hidden from one whose garment could stanch her issue of blood. He who could cure her secret malady could certainly perceive her secret touch.
After she had obtained the cure she rejoices with trembling. Glad was she that the divine virtue had wrought a marvel in her, but she feared lest Christ should retract the blessing, and put a negative upon the grant of his grace. How sad that she could have such unworthy ideas of our gracious Master; little did she comprehend the fulness of his love. You and I have not so clear a view of him as we could wish; we know not the heights and depths and lengths and breadths of his love, but we know him better than she did. At least we know of a surety that he is too good to withdraw from a trembling soul the gift which it has been able to obtain.
But here is the great marvel of it; little as was her knowledge, great as was her unbelief, and astounding as was her misconception of our Lord, yet her faith, because it was real faith, saved her. If we have faith as a grain of mustard seed, there is life in that grain, and die it cannot. A ray of faith ensures complete deliverance from the blackness of darkness forever. If in the list of the Lord’s children you and I are written, as the feeblest of the family, yet being children and heirs through faith, no power, human or devilish, can reverse our adoption.