Jesus turns NOBODIES into SOMEBODIES

This is the day that the Lord has made, I will REJOICE and be glad in it. How about you? I woke up this morning with joy in my heart and an excitement in my spirit. I am so blessed and I want to make sure that I do everything within my power not to take these blessings for granted. I know there are some who are reading my blog today that are facing difficult times. I was reading this morning in the Word of God about a lady who was facing a dire problem in her life. Let me share with you a little bit about this lady and what God spoke into my heart. The story is found in Mark 5:25-34:

Mark 5:25-34 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. (26) She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. (27) When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, (28) because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." (29) Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. (30) At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" (31) "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, "Who touched me?'" (32) But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. (33) Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. (34) He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

This woman had been bleeding for twelve years. That is a long time, but especially when you realize that what she really faced with this medical condition:

Leviticus 15:25 "'When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period or has a discharge that continues beyond her period, she will be unclean as long as she has the discharge, just as in the days of her period.

The next few verses goes on to say that she must be separated from everything and everyone. No one could touch her, or they would be made ceremoniously unclean. Don't you believe that this lady was so lonely? I am certain that she craved for someone to hold her hand, or to give her a hug. But it was against the law of God, so we can assume that no one had touched her and she had not laid a hand upon anyone, even her children for twelve long years.

• I am sure that she battled rejection from society. People would see her coming, because she would be wearing clothing to signify to everyone that she was unclean. People would see her coming, and go across the street to avoid any contact with her whatsoever.
  
• I am certain that she battled rejection from her family. The very ones that she loved the most, probably hurt her more than anyone else. I can't imagine watching your children grow up, and not be able to hold them, or touch them in any way. She would have to tell them that she loved them from a distance.
  
• I am sure that she battled rejection from God. Why God, why me, why my family? This rejection would be so painful when she would be outside and see the families playing and laughing together, and that would only intensify the feeling of rejection and anger towards God.
  

I believe there are some reading this blog today that are battling rejection in at least one of these areas. You find yourself angry at the world because of the rejection that you feel on a daily basis. It is so difficult for you to enjoy today because of the rejection of yesterday. People have made you feel like you don't matter in this world, that you are a nobody. This lady had to feel the same way. (26) She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. She had tried everything she knew to do to get better: tried different doctors, spent everything that she had, yet she still grew worse. She grew worse…think about that for a moment. I believe that she didn't just grow worse physically, but spiritually and emotionally as well. You see the longer that you face rejection and loneliness you have a tendency to grow worse. I am certain that she dreaded the dawning of another day, because it meant more loneliness, more rejection and more anger. She would once again be reminded that she was a nobody, that her life just didn't matter to most of society.

But this particular day, something was different. She couldn't really tell what, she could just feel it. She was going to the man that she had heard about, He had been healing people. His name was Jesus. When she got to Him, there was a huge crowd around Him. Yet, she pressed through the crowd, and reached out to touch just the hem of His garment. Immediately Jesus turned and asked, "Who touched me?" Can you imagine the fear that ran through her body? Remember, she wasn't supposed to touch anybody, much less Jesus. And now He wanted to know "Who touched me?" Was He going to be angry? Would she be stoned to death and go to her grave as a nobody?

But quite the contrary happened…Jesus made the following statement that changed her life forever: Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. Luke 8:46

Did she hear right? Did this Messiah, this man who everyone was following after to get His attention… "did He just call me SOMEBODY…" Then she noticed that her bleeding had stopped and that she was completely well. My friends, Jesus not only touched her physically, but He healed her emotionally and spiritually. That is just the way Jesus works. It is WHO He is. He is the giver of life. He took this lady who FELT LIKE a nobody and made her somebody and sent her back home to the ones that she so longed to touch. My title says, "Jesus turns NOBODIES into SOMEBODIES" He never sees you as a NOBODY, but He also knows there are many people who believe that their life doesn't matter because of the pain of rejection, loneliness and anger.

Maybe you are reading today and you are so filled with anger, lonliness and rejection. Maybe you feel that your life doesn't matter, that you are a nobody. I am so glad that you stopped by today to hear God speak to you that you matter to Him, and your life matters to Him. He is reaching out His hand to you right now, why don't you reach back? You will hear Him say…SOMEBODY has touched me. You really are somebody! Blessings!

Pastor Rusty

Today's "THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR" reading: April 22, 2008 (Tuesday): Job 15:1 – Job 21:34