"Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed." Luke 8:47
The woman who has been bleeding for 12 years is a social pariah. Her bleeding makes her permanently unclean - unacceptable in the community; unacceptable in the religious establishments.
Her approach to Jesus is unusual because she comes without words and she comes from behind. That's in contrast to Jairus who only just before, fell at Jesus' feet begging for his daughter. Not that Jairus had it wrong, it just highlights how different the approach of this woman is.
Her approach is a combination of faith, meekness and boldness. And it causes her to behave in this unusual manner. Her faith says, 'to touch Jesus will be enough to be healed'. Her meekness expresses that faith, not in a showy display, but in the merest of touches, and that from behind. And her boldness fights for the healing. The crowd was on top of Jesus - so close they threatened to crush him. But this woman is so intent on receiving healing from Jesus, that she battles her way to the very man who is the centre of the crowd's attention - what effort that must have taken!
When she is instantly healed, Jesus looks to find who has received the power that has gone out from him. Many were jostling him that day, but only one received his power. At Jesus' question, she comes trembling at his feet. She has made the teacher unclean, but she herself has been made clean, what will he say? Will he be angry? No! 'Daughter your faith has healed you. Go in peace'. Jesus was made sin for her that she might be made clean. Her bold-meek faith, directed at Jesus, had brought her peace. It will bring us peace too, if we do as she did that day.
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