Daily Word - Take Heart Your Faith Has Made You Well - Matthew 9:18-26

Scripture:
Matthew 9:18-26 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
A Girl Restored and a Woman Healed
18 As He was telling them these things, (A) suddenly one of the leaders [a] came and knelt down before Him, saying, "My daughter is near death, [b] but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live." (B) 19 So Jesus and His disciples got up and followed (C) him.
20 Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for 12 years approached from behind and touched the tassel on His robe, (D) 21 for she said to herself, "If I can just touch His robe, I'll be made well!" (E) [c]
22 But Jesus turned and saw her. "Have courage, daughter," He said. "Your faith has made you well." (F) [d] And the woman was made well from that moment. [e]
23 When Jesus came to the leader's house, He saw the flute players and a crowd lamenting loudly. (G) 24 "Leave," He said, "because the girl isn't dead, but sleeping." (H) And they started laughing at Him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. (I) 26 And this news spread throughout that whole area. (J)

Footnotes:
Matthew 9:18 A leader of a synagogue; [Mk 5:22]
Matthew 9:18 Lit daughter has now come to the end
Matthew 9:21 Or be delivered
Matthew 9:22 Or has saved you
Matthew 9:22 Lit hour
Cross references:
Matthew 9:18 : Mk 5:22-43; Lk 8:41-56;
Matthew 9:18 : Mt 8:2-3; Mk 5:23;
Matthew 9:19 : Lk 5:11; Jn 8:12;
Matthew 9:20 : Lv 15:25; Num 15:38; Dt 22:12; Mt 14:36; 23:5;
Matthew 9:21 : Mt 14:36; Mk 3:10; Lk 6:19;
Matthew 9:22 : Mt 15:28; Mk 10:52; Lk 7:50; 17:19; 18:42;
Matthew 9:23 : 2Ch 35:25; Jr 9:17; 16:6; Ezk 24:17; Rv 18:22;
Matthew 9:24 : Jn 11:13; Ac 20:10;
Matthew 9:25 : Mk 9:27; Ac 3:7; 9:40-41;
Matthew 9:26 : Mt 4:24; 9:31; 14:1; Mk 1:28; Lk 4:14;

Reflection:
Do you take your troubles to the Lord with expectant faith and confidence in his help? People in desperate or helpless circumstances were not disappointed when they sought Jesus out. What drew them to Jesus? Was it hope for a miracle or a word of comfort in their affliction? What did the elderly woman who had suffered greatly for twelve years expect Jesus to do for her? And what did a grieving father expect Jesus to do about his lost beloved daughter? Jesus gave hope where there seemed to be no human cause for it because his hope was directed to God. He spoke words of hope to the woman (Take heart, daughter!) to ignite the spark of faith in her (your faith has made you well!). And he also gave divine hope to a father who had just lost a beloved child. It took considerable courage and risk for the ruler of a synagogue to openly go to Jesus and to invite the scorn of his neighbors and kin. Even the hired mourners laughed at him in scorn. Their grief was devoid of any hope. Nonetheless, Jesus took the girl by the hand and delivered her from the grasp of death. In both instances we see Jesus' personal concern for the needs of others and his readiness to heal and restore life. In Jesus we see the infinite love of God extending to each and every individual as he gives freely and wholly of himself to each person he meets. Do you approach the Lord with confident expectation that he will hear your request and act?

Prayer For The Day:
Lord, you love each of us individually with a unique and personal love. Touch my life with your saving power, heal and restore me to fullness of life. Help me to give wholly of myself in loving service to others.