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Ah, the story of the woman with the issue of blood is such a powerful and inspiring one! It’s found in the Gospels—specifically in Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, and Luke 8:43-48. Let me share the essence of it and what the Bible teaches us from this story.

### The Story (Summary):
- This woman had been suffering from a bleeding condition for **12 years** (Mark 5:25).
- She had spent all her money on doctors but only got worse (Mark 5:26).
- Despite her long suffering and social isolation (because of her condition, she would have been considered unclean according to Jewish law), she believed that if she could just **touch Jesus’ cloak**, she would be healed (Mark 5:28).
- She came up behind Jesus in a crowd and touched the edge of His garment.
- Immediately, her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was healed (Mark 5:29).
- Jesus stopped and said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering” (Mark 5:34).

### Key Takeaways:
- **Faith is powerful!** The woman’s faith in Jesus’ healing power made all the difference.
- **Jesus cares deeply for individuals**—He noticed her even in a crowd and spoke kindly to her.
- **Healing and peace come through Jesus.** Not just physical healing, but peace and freedom from suffering.
- **Persistence in seeking Jesus** can lead to breakthrough, even after years of hardship.

This story reminds me of Hebrews 11:6: “And without faith it is impossible to please God...” Her faith was the key.

This is the same Jesus who pointedly mentioned that there were many Jewish lepers in naaman's day, but only naaman was healed.

But the scariest part is not when you keep knocking on the door and God does not open it. The scariest part is when you knock on it so long that God opens it and then you realize it should have stayed closed.

I have learned to not be too insistent about what I think I want when I'm talking to God.

Sometimes I think of prayers I've prayed in the past and almost shudder when I think they could've been answered the way I wanted them to be at the time!!

Two important points being mentioned so far.

1. Your will be done!
That's how i end every prayer after asking God for something.

2. The robe, or an icon is a vessel to God while we are in this physical form and we want to focus our emotion and intention to God.

The roman centurian even did a better one. Something today we'd call 'remote healing'.
He was so sure of what Jesus could do and never doubted Him. He simply asked Jesus to "just say the word".

I like that Roman centurion. Not only was he completely confident that Jesus could heal from a distance, but he was also very concerned about not imposing. He wanted Jesus to help him, but he also didn't want to take up any more of Jesus' time than absolutely necessary. He was aware that any time Jesus spent walking to his house was time Jesus would not be taking care of somebody else.

Although in fairness I do have to mention... This is also the same Jesus who told the parable about the woman and the unjust judge. Just mentioning that for counterpoint.

Another point being mentioned: Gratefulness. And also compassion.
These two are also linked with Surrender to God, which is why i say "your will be done".
In fact i am very expressive when i say that, because i say "i am stupid, i don't know, so please give me the best version of what i ask you. Give me the highest good".

Also, this is a conversation which goes on a daily basis. The prayer sustains you.
God told Paul "my grace is enough" when Paul asked for physical healing for his foot.

This privilege when you feel God close to you via a Miracle like Paul or many others have, it can be a blessing and a curse i would say.
Because you know, you know with 100% certainty that God is there and CAN do anything but it's not according to your schedule or will.
It's according to His schedule and Will !
That's why "Your will be done"

I'm loving this topic so far. Thank you all for sharing.

Of course there is the counter counterpoint of hezekiah. God told him he was going to die, and Hezekiah wept bitterly and reminded God of how faithful he was and etc. God said okay, you can have some more time. And Hezekiah wound up revealing all Israel's riches to spies, something that would not have happened if he had just accepted what God said.

Of course there is the counter counter counter argument that if Hezekiah had died, his successor might have done the same thing...

I sometimes wonder how can one take for GRANTED the fact that God is speaking to you? And i mean YOU directly via some Miracle or Dream and not via a Person.
And God gives you "bad" news.
You completely forget the fact that God is speaking to YOU and then you have the audacity to negotiate?
And how do you even know it's bad? Because you assume to know what Death is? Or what God is capable of doing?
How about saying "THANK YOU GOD FOR GRACING ME WITH YOUR PRESENCE IN THIS MIRACLE".

Maybe this is God's wisdom in choosing a person or a nation to tell us how low spiritually some people can get. And not to be like them. I personally have a very bad reaction to David as i've mentioned before due to his ego but i love people like Solomon or Paul because they surrendered to God despite their egos.
One said 'everything is vanity" and the other said "whether i live or die i belong to God".

I think I will let other people take it from here. I'm getting lost in the middle of all my own counters. Feels like I'm picking my way through a cabinet factory.

You are giving points of inspiration brother, that's all.

It wasn't his "Cloak" or his robe.

A true rabbinical "shawl" that a Rabbi would wear has 613 strings forming the fringe. Which is tied into 5-6 group tassels with knots for each of the 12 tribes. (can't remember specifically) to stand for the five books of Moses.
Because otherwise it totally misses the prophesy about the Messiah having healing in his fringes/tassels....or more less metaphorically his laws and gospel accounts of his life with us.

She took it literally and by doing so she was believing he was the Messiah. And Jesus handsomely rewarded EVERYONE who recognized him as the Messiah with a gift only God could grant...such as her healing.

Details matter in these things.

Just saying.

Old English proverb : b careful what u wish for .

Speaking of Hezekiah's successor : 2nd Kings Ch 20 V 6 , Ch 20 V 21 + Ch 21 V 1+2 . Manasseh would not have been born if Hezekiah hadn't got those 15 years 🥴 . Ch 21 V 9 😞 .

Yeah, and look what HE did...

Is it really David's ego that bothers u ? Might it not b his humanity ? God chose David , 1st Samuel 13 : 14 . David was King in Israel but : 1st Chronicles 15 : 27 , Rev 1 : 6 . God deals with David in mercy , not in the law 2nd Sam 7: 14 - 16 . R we not all David ? I think we r . We recoil at his humanity / faults / failings / sins because they mirror our own imperfections . But as we c in 2nd Sam 7 : 14 + 15 , God doesn't deal with him under the law but under grace , mercy and forgiveness . Just like He dies to us , thanks to Jesus who is David's descendant .

Does not dies 😬 .

A few other people in the church and outside of church have told me this.
Does David’s humanity and his imperfections bother you?
Yes they do bother me!

In fact one person during Bible study told me: you don’t think you have anything in common with David?

I said: you mean, do I kill people? Cheat on my wife and then ask God to kill my boss when he doesn’t give me a raise?
No! I got nothing in common with David!
When I see the story of David all I get is: Don’t be like David!

One time, decades ago I also asked the priest during Bible study.
Why is this man even in the Bible? Why aren’t we in the Bible?
We are in the Bible - he said - our story begins in the book of Acts.
That was a good answer.

So yes , I look for people who don’t do any insane things so they can realize they need to repent. And even when they realize they need to repent they don’t act like children after they repent because they are spoiled, which is also a small expression of an ego still buried down inside.
I like people who have lived a relatively “good” life and their faith doesn’t shake when faced with hardships.

I like family men and humble people , someone like Peter is someone I connect with and I especially like believers who have unquestionable faith like many saints in history, including women who were not murderers, cheaters or vengeful towards their enemies.

St Thecla is one example.

Consider that the Bible itself calls David a man after God's own heart... It certainly didn't call Eli or Samuel or even Peter that.

I'm not saying you're wrong about what David did. I'm just saying maybe there's a factor you are overlooking.

Have you thought about that it may not be God who calls David that but it’s the Jewish people?

Perhaps to show us again how spiritually low some people can get?
For example, knowing their mindset back then who they were and what they were expecting, it shows us how some people are stuck IN Text or IN Books.
Some people want to show their outward glory and the Jews were expecting a military leader like David or other kings in their past history to crush the Romans.

But when Christ came and showed them that they need to focus first on the spiritual level, they rejected Him despite Him doing miracles on the physical level !

So perhaps there’s another angle to this and it’s also why the Bible speaks to us differently through time and cultures.

And yes, ultimately I tolerate David because I realize that he must be someone important in God’s plan in order for God to speak to us through time and cultures through his story which we understand and process differently based on times and cultures.
To teach us morals lessons and focus on the important part that The Kingdom of God is not of this world as Christ said.
So we’re not going to find any glory here in Kings and Queens.
Glory is when He is with us and we are with Him.
Ultimately we are all important in God’s plan.
Not just a person in the Bible like David.

Which is why I get more edification from people who surrender their ego to God because it shows the essence of what Christ taught us here.
Mind over matter.
Early saints including the apostles themselves are some of the highest people in my view because not only they faced death for Christ but torture!
Because dying is easy, but being tortured in the flesh for days and months and NOT losing faith IN Christ is hard.
Mind over matter.