Through The Bible in a Year - June 23, 2026

"There was a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians and spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse... She came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment… Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, 'Who touched my garments?'... And he said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.'" - Mark 5:25-34

Twelve years. Twelve years of suffering. Twelve years of spending everything on physicians who made her worse. Twelve years of being declared ceremonially unclean—unable to worship, unable to be touched, unable to fully belong anywhere.

She had every reason to give up. She had every reason to believe God had forgotten her, that her suffering was permanent, that she had somehow been left behind in God’s plan of blessing his people.

But she pressed through the crowd, believing: "If I touch even His garments, I will be made well."

And Jesus—on His way to raise a ruler's daughter, surrounded by a pressing crowd, with a thousand urgent things happening—stopped. Turned around. Looked for her specifically. And called her not "woman," but "daughter."

Twelve years of waiting, and He paused for her. Twelve years of being overlooked, and He looked directly at her. Twelve years of isolation, and He called her family.

I remember hearing an unsettling truth told years ago by Pastor David Jeremiah: "If you're a believer and you knew everything God knows about your circumstances—what led to them, what's happening now, and the impact for eternity of how you will handle them—nothing would enter your life that you yourself would not choose if you knew what God knows."

That's a hard word. But the woman with the bleeding didn't just receive healing. She became a witness of the power of Christ for centuries to come. Her twelve years of suffering became the story that has brought eternal hope to millions.

This gospel account is assuring us God has not abandoned us in our-sometimes-long wait to experience the fruit of his plan. God is very good at writing long stories He is not ignoring your struggles over twelve years or, perhaps, many more. He is working in and with and for you—even when you can't see it—for purposes that extend far beyond what you can currently see.

Respond: What is your "twelve years" of struggle? What long, painful situation have you been enduring, spending all your resources on getting better, yet growing worse rather than better?

Press through to Jesus. Reach out and touch the hem of His garment. He will stop in his tracks. He will turn. He will see you specifically—not just the crowd, not just the needs of others—you. And He will call you his child, His very own – supplying what is eternally best for your blessing and His glory.

This week, bring your suffering years to Jesus. Don't dress it up. Just come as this suffering woman came—in the press of the crowd, believing: "If I just touch Him, I will be made well." He has already reached out to touch your soul, and will respond to heart reaching out to Him with what is absolutely best for eternal blessing and divine glory.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I have been waiting twelve years—or more—to see the blessings of Jesus’s touch in ways that my heart or loved ones are suffering. I have spent so many of my material or spiritual resources trying to fix the problems. But I feel that I am worse, not better. I've wondered if You've forgotten me, if I'm invisible in the crowd. But You made Jesus stop for this suffering woman. He turned to her, really looked at her, and called her his child. So, please turn the heart and power of Jesus toward me. See me in this crowd. Call me Yours. In faith I reach out to You now, trusting that eternal blessings will come from your heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.