Series: Touching the Hem of Jesus
Part 1, The Interrupted Miracle
Mark 5:21-42 finds Jesus surrounded by a crowd at the seashore. A synagogue official, a father, approached Him, asking for a miracle for his little girl. He pleaded for Jesus to come and lay hands on her. Jesus set off with him, the crowd jostling close, following, pressing into Him.
But on His way to deliver a miracle for one daughter, He was interrupted by another, a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years.
Under Levitical law, women were considered unclean whenever they menstruated, not in a sinful sense, but ceremonially. Leviticus 15:19 says that during her monthly flow, a woman would be unclean for seven days, and anyone who touched her would also be unclean. This law served to contain the flow and provided women with a monthly rhythm of rest.
This woman had endured much suffering. Mark writes that she had spent all she had and grown worse (vs. 26). For twelve years, she likely watched life rather than lived it. Did friends marry and have children while she remained untouched, unembraced, invisible in the homes and lives around her? Loneliness must have wrapped around her like a cloak.
Yet somehow, she heard of Jesus. She heard of the man who healed by touch and longed to be healed herself. But she faced a problem: the law made touching Jesus dangerous. If she touched Him, He would become ceremonially unclean, unable to minister until sundown (Lev. 15:19).
In an act of faith, she reached out, not to Jesus Himself, but to the hem of His garment. In that small, trembling touch, she created her miracle.
For deeper reflection:
We may not press through a crowd to brush against His robe today. But the invitation is the same: to reach for Him in faith, however weak our hands may feel.
Is there a place in my life right now where I feel weary, unseen, or desperate like the woman in Mark 5?
What might it look like for me to “reach out and touch His garment” in this season?
What does it mean to me that Jesus stopped for one touch in a sea of hundreds?
Have I ever felt unseen or lost in the crowd? How does this moment reveal Jesus’ personal attention towards me?
Series: Touching the Hem of Jesus
Part 2, The Sound of Belonging
Immediately, Jesus turned and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” (Mark 5:31)
In a crowd of perhaps hundreds, Jesus came to a complete stop. People clamored around Him, pressing, calling, demanding, but only one touch mattered.
When she reached out to touch Him, something happened to her. Something happened to Jesus as well. In a crowd of hundreds, only a supernatural perception from a supernatural God could have noticed one touch among so many.
Even though He was traveling through a throng to reach Jairus’ home, He paused and waited. This was a personal encounter He was unwilling to miss. He wanted a conversation with her and was determined to wait until she stepped forward. She came, “trembling with fear,” and told Him the whole truth (vs. 33), while Jesus listened.
The first word spoken to her was “Daughter” (vs. 34). Jesus wasn’t merely using a term of endearment. He was imparting identity.
For twelve years, this woman had been known only by her condition. She was defined by what was wrong with her. But the moment she touched Him, Jesus named her Daughter. He did not name her by her suffering; He named her by her placement into His family.
In the eyes of the crowd, she had violated every norm: she approached a rabbi in public, touched Him while ceremonially unclean, and interrupted His mission to someone deemed more important. Yet Jesus paused the whole procession for her. Heaven stopped for a trembling woman who dared to believe.
He could have let her slip away healed and unnoticed, but He didn’t. He called her out, not to expose her, but to restore her. To bring her from shame into wholeness.
The isolation of being a continually menstruating woman required not only physical restoration, but social restoration as well. She knew internally that she had been healed, but Jesus proclaimed it publicly so others could see it too.
When Jesus calls her “Daughter,” He restores what suffering had taken: identity, dignity, and belonging. He invites her, and us, into a place where we are no longer defined by our condition, our failures, or what others have withheld, but by our relationship to Him.
To step into that word is to stand under the covering of a Father who sees, claims, and cherishes us. It is to hear Him say: You belong. You are safe. You are Mine.
For deeper reflection:
How does Jesus’ tenderness toward this woman reshape your idea of how He receives your vulnerability?
How does hearing the word Daughter spoken over you change the way you see yourself?
Where in your life are you still living as though you are “the bleeding woman,” rather than “the beloved daughter”?
Series: Touching the Hem of Jesus
Part 3, Daughter, Beloved, Restored
“Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace,” Luke 8:48.
In Greek, the phrase “made you well” (σέσωκέν, sesōken) also means saved or restored. Jesus wasn’t just healing her body; He was restoring her soul. The original listeners would have heard something far richer than “you feel better now.”
Your faith has made you well. Jesus speaks wholeness over her, which is a greater gift than simply releasing her from suffering. Her entire life was now rescued and redeemed. Her place in society was reestablished, and her dignity restored.
Go in peace. He urged her forward and released her into living, not hiding. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom, and it means wholeness of being and flourishing in every area of life.
Her action had risked public shame and even punishment. Yet Jesus did not react with disgust or distance. Instead, He acknowledged her faith and called her Daughter. This is the only time He uses that word for anyone in the Gospels. That word carried tenderness, belonging, and restoration.
By allowing her to touch Him and by publicly affirming her faith, Jesus not only healed her body but restored her dignity and reversed social exclusion. He redefined purity, not as something contaminated by contact, but as something powerful enough to cleanse and restore those who draw near to Him.
This moment was highly unusual. And that is what makes it breathtaking: the Holy One of Israel allowed Himself to be touched by an “untouchable.” Compassion proved greater than custom. Mercy fulfilled the law.
Jesus pauses for His daughters today as well. He is never too busy to receive us. He desires our whole being to come to Him, not polished or composed, but as this woman did: trembling, falling at His feet, telling Him the whole truth (vs. 33). Just as He did for her, He restores our hearts and our dignity. Listening for His response reminds us that we belong with Him.
What does this mean for daughters today who reach for His garment?
Faith is not about strength of will, but direction of trust. This woman had no more options and no more resources. Her faith was not loud or impressive, it was desperate and trembling. And that kind of faith was enough.
Jesus’ healing is always holistic. When we reach for Him, He does not merely tend the surface wound. He restores our hearts, our identity, and our belonging.
We are seen, not hidden. She tried to come in secret, but Jesus stopped long enough to look her in the eye and call her Daughter. He named her, claimed her, and made her story part of His story.
For deeper reflection:
In what area of your life are you reaching out, hoping that even a brush of His presence might bring healing?
The woman came “trembling with fear” yet told Jesus the whole truth. What truth do you need to bring before Him today?
What might fear be keeping you from confessing, sharing, or surrendering to Christ?
Series: Exploring Psalm 23:3 and Its Invitation to Women
Part 1: Finding Rest in God’s Presence
One of my favorite verses is Psalm 23:3: “He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”
The Hebrew word for restore is שׁוּב (shuv), a deeply significant term in the Hebrew Bible. It generally means to return, to turn back, or to restore, conveying motion toward a previous place or condition. In Psalm 23:3, the phrase “He restores my soul” can also be understood as “He turns back my soul” or “He brings my soul back.”
The imagery is tender: when the soul is weary or wandering, the Shepherd turns it back to peace and wholeness, restoring it to alignment with God.
But shuv is more than restoration; it carries a call to action. It is not passive. In the Christian life, God invites us to repent (turn away from sin) and return (turn toward Him in faith). This isn’t only a one-time repentance, but an ongoing renewal, a continual turning back to God.
In Psalm 23:3, shuv reflects God’s work of bringing our souls back to Himself. He offers a refreshment deeper than a moment of relief; He restores the very essence of who we are.
The ultimate refreshment comes in the presence of the Shepherd. Women often give and give until there’s nothing left, yet God reminds us: we can only give what we first receive. When we draw near to Him in exhaustion, in struggle, even in joy, He fills us with His strength.
It’s easy to get caught in the “doing” of life, but true renewal is found in simply being with God. That might look like sitting quietly with Him, meditating on His Word, or resting in stillness. In receiving His presence, we are refreshed, restored, and equipped to pour into others.
For deeper reflection:
What does it mean to you personally when Scripture says, “He restores my soul”? Have you experienced that kind of restoration recently? Where in your life do you feel weary, stretched, or depleted? How might God’s presence bring renewal in that area?
Series: Exploring Psalm 23:3 and Its Invitation to Women
Part 2: Trust and Letting Go of Control
Psalm 23:3 says, “He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” This verse goes beyond a fleeting moment of relief. It speaks to a lifestyle of spiritual refreshment. In our busy lives as women, that rhythm of rest can feel unrealistic, yet it’s exactly what the Shepherd offers.
The first part of that rhythm is trust. Trust is a choice, a decision to relinquish control of what we cannot fully manage and to acknowledge God’s sovereign care over our lives. As women, we juggle countless responsibilities, and it’s easy to fall into the illusion that we must control every detail. But Psalm 23:3 reminds us to trust the Shepherd to guide us, even when we don’t have all the answers.
What does trust look like?
- Recognizing God’s sovereignty: Believing He is in control and His guidance is always for our good.
- Surrendering expectations: Letting go of perfectionism and the pressure to meet every demand.
- Taking steps of faith: Moving forward even without the full picture, relying on His presence step by step.
How to pursue trust:
- Daily surrender: Begin each morning by committing your day to God and entrusting outcomes to Him.
- Affirm His promises: Reflect on scriptures that remind you of His faithfulness (Psalm 23, Matthew 11:28–30).
Trust frees us from the burden of control and positions us to walk confidently in His care.
For deeper reflection:
Where in your life are you tempted to hold tightly to control? How does Psalm 23:3 challenge you to trust the Shepherd’s leading, even when the path isn’t clear? Which Scriptures bring you peace when trust feels difficult?
Series: Exploring Psalm 23:3 and Its Invitation to Women
Part 3: Rest and Creating Space for True Refreshment
Psalm 23:3 not only points us to trust, but also to rest. True rest is not just physical relaxation, but a renewal of the soul that comes when we sit quietly with God. Many of us run on empty, believing we must keep pushing through. Yet the Shepherd offers rest that replenishes us with deep peace and contentment.
We often give and give until there’s nothing left, but God reminds us: we can only give what we’ve first received. When we draw near to Him, in exhaustion, in struggle, even in joy, He fills us with strength.
What does rest look like?
- Taking deliberate pauses: Creating quiet space for your soul to breathe.
- Refocusing on God’s presence: Resting in His love rather than striving for His approval.
- Embracing His peace: Letting His calm replace anxiety and stress.
How to pursue rest:
- Sabbath rhythms: Set aside time weekly for intentional rest, away from work, media, or noise.
- Mindful moments: Step away briefly during busy days to pray, breathe, and re-center.
- Physical rest with purpose: Prioritize sleep and care for your body as an act of trust.
True rest is found not in doing more, but in being with God. As we receive His refreshment, we are renewed and ready to pour into others.
For deeper reflection:
When you think of “rest,” what comes to mind: physical, emotional, or spiritual renewal? Which do you most need right now? What lies or cultural pressures make you feel like rest is a “luxury” instead of a necessity? How have you experienced God’s presence renewing you in times of exhaustion? What practical rhythms could you introduce (daily or weekly) to step into God’s rest more intentionally?
Series: Exploring Psalm 23:3 and Its Invitation to Women
Part 4: Renewal and A Continuous Cycle of Refreshment
The Shepherd’s invitation in Psalm 23:3 doesn’t end with trust and rest; it extends to renewal. Renewal is not a one-time refreshment, but an ongoing cycle. God restores us again and again, shaping us, strengthening us, and reorienting our hearts toward Him.
What does renewal look like?
- Spiritual growth: Allowing God to shape us through prayer, Scripture, and worship.
- Emotional resilience: Finding strength in Him, even in life’s challenges.
- A heart reoriented toward God: Turning from the world’s demands to the Shepherd’s voice.
How to pursue renewal:
- Daily time with God: Immerse yourself in His Word and presence.
- Journaling or reflection: Note where God is working in your life and where you need His renewal.
- Receiving His presence: In moments of weariness, invite Him to refresh your spirit.
Practical ways to pursue rest and renewal:
- Create rhythms of silence and solitude.
- Practice the art of saying “no.”
- Cultivate gratitude for God’s provision.
- Surround yourself with supportive relationships.
- Designate a sacred space in your home for rest with God.
The rhythm of trust, rest, and renewal is available to us no matter how busy or demanding life becomes. By leaning into the Shepherd, we find the deep refreshment our souls long for, we experience greater peace for today and hope for tomorrow.
For deeper reflection:
How does the idea of renewal as a continuous cycle encourage you in this current season? Where do you sense God is inviting you to reorient your focus toward Him instead of the demands of life? What daily practices (prayer, journaling, Scripture, worship) feel most life-giving to your renewal right now?
Rebekah Ashley 