She thought she was in secret

Just as secret acts of sin, secret acts of faith, are also known by the Lord.  This poor woman only knew of Jesus.  If she would have truly known Him, she would have realized nothing is hidden from the Master.

I find it interesting that almost every time Jesus is called upon to go somewhere to fix a need, usually to heal the sick ... that on the way ... those along the path that had faith in Jesus were also healed as He intersected and crossed their journey in life.

So it will be with this woman this day as Jesus makes His way to the house of Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue.  His little twelve year old daughter was sick, lying  at the point of death, so Jesus naturally responds and goes with him when asked. 

As Jesus starts walking with Jairus, the scripture says He was thronged by a large, densely packed crowd of people who followed along, some to hear His words, some to see miracles, and some people were just plain curious.

But one came in secret with a need.  By law, she wasn't even supposed to be out in public.  Her disease made her unclean.

The story found in Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34 and Luke 8:43-48 goes something like this ...

"There was a woman who had a disease causing a flow of blood for twelve years; and when she heard of Jesus, came up behind Him in this crowd of people pressing in to get close to Him ... falling to her knees as she reached out in her weakened condition, she could only touch the border of His garment, the fringe of blue on the hem of His outer garment ... one touch, and only so very lightly, softly so as not to be observed or noticed by anyone in the crowd. 

But that light touch would be enough, for she had said within herself, in her soul ... 'If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole'."    

The question could be asked here, "Why would this poor sick woman think that she would be healed by just touching the clothes Jesus had on?" 

The word was already out about Jesus, even this early in His ministry.  She had evidently believed the report that a whole multitude of people were healed by only touching Him.  Luke 6:19 says ... "While seeking to touch Him, healing power issued forth from Him healing them all."   

The day this woman heard about, is the day Jesus gave his "sermon on the mount."  The scripture calls it virtue ... a force, a power in such an abundance ... that while He walked to the mount, without speaking a word, without laying His hands on them; all any of them had to do was get close enough to touch any part of Jesus, including His garments ... and this abundant outflow of power healed each one that came in contact with Him.

So, she made an inner vow of faith within her heart, that "if" she could only touch His clothes as others had done, she too would be healed.  But she needed to go in secret, knowing she was unclean by Jewish Law.

Either from the shame or from the weakness of the disease, she ended up on her knees as she reached out to Jesus as He passed by.  I think most of us have fallen to our knees from the shame of sin as well as in times of trouble.

Mark's version of this story continues with the moment she touches the hem of His garment ... "At once the flow of blood stopped, and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.  And Jesus, immediately knowing that virtue had gone out of Him, turned around and said ... 'Who touched my clothes?' 

And He looked and saw a woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, who came and fell down on her knees ... this time not in secret, but before Jesus and told Him all the truth."    

What a confession that would have been.  Fearful to the point of trembling, afraid that she would be reproved under the penalties of the law for appearing in public during the time of her uncleanness ... or thinking that through her touch He might become unclean also.

Jesus did not have to point her out, or call her to Himself.  She knew when He looked at her, that He knew.  She came on her own with reverence, telling the truth of the whole matter ... of her public sin, her faith to touch but His clothes and not His body in her unclean situation; the healing she had received when she privately took hold of the hem of His garment, her faith going out to Him in secret, pulling out from His being, the healing virtue she so desperately needed.

What did Jesus say after this woman confessed, at her own peril I might add, being in the midst of this great company of people who followed Jesus everywhere He went.  Did He rebuke her?  Did He condemn her for showing herself in public, or perhaps even worse ... for touching Him?

No, Jesus calls her ... "Daughter" ... an expression of affection and love; perhaps spoken as well to show a spiritual relationship they now have between them.  Can you hear the soft, tender way He speaks this word to her, removing all fear or concern as He continues to look deeply into her eyes?

Then after a slight pause to allow "Daughter" to sink into her heart, Jesus says ... "Thy faith has made you whole.  Go in peace."

And Jesus went on down the road to see after Jairus' daughter.