Welcome to the blog of author Marlo Schalesky!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Because God Wants More Than to Heal You

Hi Friends!

This morning (before running off to do a little homeschool for the twins, laundry, diaper changing, exercise, and kitchen clean-up - ack!) I was thinking about the story of the bleeding woman starting in MARK 5:25. Here's my retelling of the story along with what struck me at a deeper level. Today, I'm going to be thinking about this, and I'd love to hear your thoughts too! Care to share??

Anyway, here are my thoughts about Mark 5:25-34:

Once upon a time, there was a woman who was having that time of month. Except for her, it didn’t stop after a week, or two weeks, a month, a year. She’d been bleeding for twelve long years. And where she lived, that bleeding wasn’t only unpleasant and exhausting, it made her dirty, untouchable. She used to have friends, but they’re all married now, with children. She has no husband, no kids. Others have a nice home and a family. She’s spent all her money on doctors and treatments that didn’t help. Everything she once hoped for seems impossible now. And she’s so tired from the loss of blood, the loss of hope, the loss of everything.

But then, something happens. She hears about a man who can heal with a touch. It seems crazy. But maybe, just maybe . . . there’s a commotion on the street. A crowd. A name. Jesus. The one from Nazareth. He’s the one she heard about! She sneaks out the door, follows behind the crowd. Far enough back so she won’t touch anyone, won’t make them unclean too.

But she’s got to get to the one called Jesus. Maybe he won’t touch someone dirty like her. But maybe she can touch him. Just a little, on the edge of his cloak. Maybe that’s all it would take. She winds through the crowd, inching forward. Bit by bit. There he is! Closer. Closer. All she wants in the world is to be healed. For the bleeding to stop. For life to have some hope again. If only she could be healed.

She reaches out. Her fingers brush the edge of his cloak. And… it happens. She feels it, senses it, in every part of her. The bleeding stops. The anemia is gone. She’s whole, healthy, clean. She sinks back into the crowd. She has everything she wanted.

But wait.

Jesus stops. Turns. Seeks her out. He looks at her, talks to her, calls her “daughter.”

Why? Why does he have to stop her? She already has everything she came for. She’s healed.

--For her, healing is enough.
--But for him, he wants more.

HE WANTS MORE THAN OUR HEALING. That's the idea that I find striking. Because for her, and for you and me, FIXING us isn’t enough. God wants relationship. Jesus wants connection, interaction…that’s love. That’s what’s valuable to Him.

And I think that’s the lens through which we need to see everything in our lives. What happens in our lives isn’t about getting us to do the right thing, choose the right path, get our problems fixed. It’s about God and His love relationship with us. It’s about Him wanting to be close to us because He loves us. It's about knowing Him. Everything is about knowing Him.

When something goes wrong, when something goes right, when the kids are good, when they're um ... not. When my daughter's horse dies, when a friend hurts me, when I get my royalty statement (oh yikes! ;-)), when I just don't understand WHY. I do know why -- so I can know Him better, see Him more clearly, interact with God how He really is, not just as who I imagine Him to be.

I think that's what it's all about. What do you think?

11 comments:

JenniferSaake.blogspot.com said...

Beautiful my friend. I love the concept that for me, healing was enough, but for Him it wasn't! I would love to copy this and post it as a guest blog at Harvesting Hope from Heartache if you don't mind???

Marlo Schalesky said...

Thanks, Jenni! And sure, feel free to post it as a guest blog. That'd be great. :-)

Cheryl Smith said...

You're absolutely right. It is about relationship! I recently spoke to a group of women on this very subject - and how our issues keep us from intimacy - with God and with others. Relationship.

Great to find you through High Calling Blogs! Welcome aboard!

Marcus Goodyear said...

I'm a guy, but I still find this idea kind of scary.

God isn't content to heal me. He wants to get my attention too. So often, I'd prefer God be my personal bottle of headache medicine--and stay in the dark cabinet of my bathroom until I need to pull him out again.

I guess he still has some work to do for me.

Marlo Schalesky said...

Hey Cheryl, thanks for the High Calling welcome! And Marcus, love the headache medicine analogy! How we'd like to keep Him contained and within our grasp to fix our problems. But He won't be contained. And that *is* scary, because God turns and confronts us. He asks for more, and how can we remain unchanged after an encounter with Him? Scary, wonder-filled, breath-taking.

Ann Voskamp @Holy Experience said...

Welcome to High Calling, Marlo....

The healing is always in His touch, the linger of the meeting... the meeting. I'll carry this with me today....

Humble thanks...
All's grace,
Ann

Kathleen Overby said...

We don't have to settle for merely being healed because he won't settle for it either. It's lovely to be craved and wanted like this. You made it easy to picture her grateful response. Like ours. Thanks Marlo.

Florence Haridan said...

Thank you. Yes, Christ's love calls us to more. This morning I was rejected from a networking group. I was told I was too enthusiastic...

What is up with that?? I am happy in the Lord and the spirit fills me with Joy...many do not believe it is authentic. It is. Christ fills my life with Joy and I am able to express my love of life with vividness and faith. I know God Created me to be his reflection of love, hope and joy. Today I choose to be HIS servant, shining light into the dark corners...

Jeff Jordan said...

Marlo,
First time here and glad I stopped in. I think you are exactly right...for me, having my own children helps me understand better what God desires in a relationship with us. I want my children to be healthy, well-fed, and safe for sure. But, it certainly doesn't stop there. I want to be part of their lives--their dreams...and a big part at that. Anyway, your blog looks great and it's nice to meet you:)

Jennifer @ JenniferDukesLee.com said...

Welcome to High Calling, Marlo.

Yes!! Here's to the "seeing Him more clearly." You've helped me do that today with your words and your sharing of what it means to really reach out to Jesus.

Thank you, Marlo.

Marlo Schalesky said...

Thanks for the thoughts and comments! I find I'm too often in a hurry and just want the "fix" of God. I need to dally for the relationship instead! I need to linger (I love that word, Ann - thanks!)

And Florence, what a great thing to be accused of - being enthusiastic! Reminds me of John Wesley back in the day ... and look how he changed the world! :-)