"Crossing the Borderline"

Luke 8:43-48

In Luke Chapter 8:43-48 we read about a woman who has an issue of blood for twelve years. However it is verse 44 which arrested my attention for today’s Blog. KJV reads she “Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched” or stopped.

While many of us may not have had to deal with this kind of an issue we will be able to relate to this woman, particularly those of us who have had to deal with difficult issues for any extended period of time. Having to deal with difficult issues can be bad enough; add what seems like never-ending time and it becomes even more complex.

Nevertheless, we can learn from this woman’s example. She is no doubt dealing with monumental circumstances. This was more than a physical ailment it caused her financial, emotional and mental stress. I would imagine she could do nothing; eat, sleep, or think. It was that difficult. It was clearly designed to kill her.

Still after twelve years of struggling she received her healing. The first time I read this I thought where did she get the strength? I mean this doesn’t add up. Something is missing; until I put myself in this woman place. Let’s recount the scene and what it must have looked like from her perspective.

The story picks up in verse 41 after she sees a man name Jarius a ruler of the synagogue at the feet of Jesus asking him to come to his house to heal his daughter. Wow! This man’s worship stops Jesus in his tracks creating no more than a split second for this woman to act.

Picture that! It was a now or never moment. She must have thought “there is no time like the present to get in his presence. She realized she was closer to her breakthrough than ever before. She had tried going to her doctor as well everything else; this time she was going to have to do something unconventional. This time she was going to have to cross the line!

So without ever excusing herself she unapologetically interrupts Jarius’ worship pushes through nasty looks, criticism and the crowd just so she could touch the border of Jesus’ garment. My, my my! Desperation sometimes produces a level of faith in us which is rarely seen. I call it “Borderline Faith”.

Borderline faith dares to cross the line and causes you to stand out from the crowd. It is a level of faith which knows no boundaries. It is the level of faith which got this woman her breakthrough after twelve long years. And like this woman it is the level of faith we will need to activate when we find ourselves hanging between life and death.

If today you find yourself in a struggle you have been forced to fight through for an extended period of time why not take a page from this woman’s life. Instead of seeing your struggle as the end for you; see it as the borderline of your blessing.

When this woman realized she was closer to her breakthrough than she had ever been I believe she made up in her mind “I’m crossing the borderline” today!

My friend, there are some things you need God to do for you today that will only happen when you deiced you are going to cross the line. It may look crazy to those around you but I D-double dare you to do it anyway!


In His Power,

Rev. Melva