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Articles
Courage
Courage is not an innate ability found in every person who lives on this earth. It is a unique blend of strength, honor, respect, and love that can manifest itself in a variety of ways. Courage is defined as the ability to stand under tremendous pressure of a fearful condition. This term, if we are not careful, can be used too often and it will lose its significance and power. Courage is not just about being able to stand against perceived wrongs in a crowd, but it is the strength to stand, while being the only one standing.
In the gospel of Luke, Jesus had been requested by an official of the synagogue, Jairus, to come to his house (8:40-56). As Jesus made His way to Jairus’ home, the crowds pressed against Him on every side. In the midst of this crowd was a woman who had been suffering for twelve years from a hemorrhage. This woman had heard of the man, Jesus of Nazareth, and the mighty miracles accomplished by His power. While the crowd was pressing in from all sides, she reached out and touched the fringe of His garment. She desired to be healed by Jesus, but she wanted to do so under the cloak of invisibility.
The moment she touched His garment, her hemorrhage stopped. She was healed! For the first time in twelve years, she would be allowed to join the worshippers of God in the Temple. This woman would no longer be unclean, but rather clean (Leviticus 12:4-5; 15). The miracle that had been accomplished in secret did not go unnoticed. Jesus was aware of the power that had been dispersed.
In the midst of this crowd, Jesus asked, “Who is the one who touched Me?” This would have been a perplexing question, and the apostle Peter replied, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You.” There was no way to know exactly who had touched Jesus, because of the sheer number of those who were passing by in the crowd, but Jesus knew. The woman knew immediately that she had been caught and that this man had not only healed her, but was now asking for her to come forward. Can we imagine this situation? A woman who had suffered for so long had been healed, and for the first time in twelve years felt like one in a crowd. It would have been much easier to remain silent and slip out from among the crowd, but this woman’s courageous faith shines forth.
Luke wrote – “When the woman saw that she has not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she has been immediately healed.” She did not hide from the Savior’s presence, but prostrated herself at the feet of Jesus. The power manifested in Christ was greater than any medicine or doctor that she had ever dealt with. The woman’s courage, which prompted her to touch His garment, was magnified by her confession of the healing before the large crowd. Jesus replied, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” The women was healed by the power of Jesus and her courageous faith. What a day of transformation in this woman’s life! She went from being a social outcast and unclean, to belonging to a special group of people who were healed by the power of Jesus. She had found rest for her weary soul in the fold of the good Shepherd.
Faith in the power and work of the gospel takes tremendous courage. It requires of us the strength to stand for the cause of Christ, even when we are standing alone. It requires of us to not shrink back from the truth of God’s Word, but rather to fully submit to His reign and control of our lives. It requires of us to proclaim His gospel, because the power of our transformation is too great to hold on to. Let us take up this charge with courageous faith like this woman who was healed from her hemorrhage. May God bless us with the courage to stand, courage to speak, and courage to trust in Him!
