阅读经文 

我们当中很多人都有艰难的处境和无法逃避，无法改变的过往，我们多么希望不是这个样子。

不知出于什么原因，这个无助和仿佛已死了十二年的女人，竟然相信只要摸一摸耶稣的衣裳，她便会痊愈。她果然这样做了——结果她果然得了痊愈。

后来，她似乎开始感到不安，因为“耶稣周围观看，要见做这事的女人。”或许她担心耶稣责怪她没有事先提出请求便贸然盗用了祂的能力，或是她因为摸了耶稣的衣裳而惹上什么麻烦，因为她是“不洁净”的，甚至可能担心耶稣会因她未征求祂的同意而收回她获得的医治。

不过，她还是上前来将“实情”完全奉告耶稣。她担忧的结果完全没有发生，耶稣反而亲自称她为“女儿”，又以从神而来的怜悯和赐平安的言语来安慰她。

我们再次留意到，耶稣并没有因此受到玷污而变成不洁净；相反，耶稣的能力和医治的权柄却转变了那女人，使她完全复原和洁净了。

尽管我们倾向于认为疾病、死亡和破坏在主导环境，但我们应记着，耶稣的到来颠覆了这个想法。祂有权柄和能力，去掌管我们生命中那些靠我们自己无法改变的事实。

Many of us have difficult personal situations and histories that we cannot escape or change. And we would really like it to be otherwise.

Somehow this woman, who was, in effect, dying for 12 years in her helpless condition, trusted that if she just touched Jesus’ clothes, she would be made well. Sure enough, she did—and she was healed.

But then it seems she became worried. “Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it.” Maybe she worried that Jesus would scold her for taking his power without asking, or that she would be in trouble for touching his cloak because she was “unclean,” or even that Jesus might take back her healing since she didn’t get permission.

She came forward, though, and told Jesus “the whole truth.” And instead of fulfilling any of her fears, he addressed her personally as “Daughter” and reassured her with holy compassion and a word of peace.

Notice again that contamination and defilement did not flow to Jesus, making him unclean; ­rather, power and healing flowed from Jesus to the woman, making her whole and clean.

Though we tend to think that disease, death, and destruction have the upper hand, it’s good to remember that Jesus has come to reverse that notion. He has authority and power over the realities of our lives that we cannot change.