The Fragrance of Faith
“And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment, for she said to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her He said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.”” — Matthew 9:20-22
The fragrance of faith is shown explicitly in the story concerning the Woman with the Issue of Blood. As a woman who had suffered many years from an unidentified issue of blood, it would be easy to imagine the desperation she must have been wrestling with through long seasons of endurance, suffering and prolonged pain.
The merit that Jesus attributes to her in His words starts at His calling her “Daughter”. How often the world, the enemy and man would have us identify by our problems, our woes, the things we do or the things that have been done to us? Yet our Lord calls us His own, and identified this woman in particular first and foremost in relationship to Him. Our Lord had exemplified varying approaches in calling women to Himself throughout His earthly ministry as recorded in the gospels, yet markedly, this woman who had endured much suffering, received from Him daughterhood.
This can reveal much to the listening ear and open heart about how the Lord ministers to women in our deepest pain and suffering. “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” This is an encouragement, a revitalization to the heart of hearts about our Father’s good plans for us. The woman was not called to wallow in pain, but was strengthened to take heart, from a place of daughterhood and for a good reason, for her faith in Christ had made her well.
In our own suffering, then, and in the potentially long-term pain that we have experienced whether through trauma, loss or other things that the Lord knows intimately, we ought to take care how we respond. Lest we abandon the simple beauty of faith. Do we reach out with all we have to touch the hem of the Lord’s garment?
“Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:” — Proverbs 31:29
This verse from Proverbs 31 speaks to the blessing that a woman who is desperate for the Lord is to her family. One who moves with simple, voracious faith. Whether the woman with the issue of blood had children and a husband is unknown and probably unlikely, but we can interpose her situation and faithful action to understand the character that God would develop in women and what that would imply for our families.
This brings the question, how can we, as women of God faithfully pursuing Jesus in our every day lives, bring the humility of faith to our Savior in our needs. Whether they are monumental like this daughter’s, as the woman with the issue of blood, or seemingly inconsequential, it matters to the Father and in our Savior’s eyes.
And on the other side of our belief and action of faith is the fragrance of the fruit the Holy Spirit produces in us.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” — Galatians 5:22-24
And the fragrance of our faith? That is what draws others nearer to inquire of who we serve, and ultimately to whom we belong. For the beauty of the Lord as revealed through His faithful sons and daughters brings many to salvation, to desire to taste and see, as we have, that the Lord is good.
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?” — 2 Corinthians 2:14-16
“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” — Psalm 34:8
As we await His return…
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