Nougat 27

Hi

There are those amongst us who live on The Edge. Not because of daredevil tendencies, probably not even because of anything they did personally; but Life seems to have placed them there for No. Apparent. Reason. None whatsoever. But then Life didn’t factor resilience or Jesus also offering

Life

… at

The Edge

Consider today’s Holy Nougat

“Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe,” Matthew‬ ‭9:20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Invisible. Untouchable. Unspeakable. She was spirit. Except, she was very much alive. Despite her debilitating condition that placed her on The Edge, she beat the odds and still survived. But no one knew; and if they actually knew, it was not spoken of, for though alive, her condition remained; it was incurable. And in those days, persons who had issues of blood were not welcome.

Despite being cut off from all whom she would have held dear, the woman did NOT allow her circumstances or social location to defeat her. Although we know her by her situation, the woman opted – In Faith – to step away from The Edge. After TWELVE long years, spending good money on doctors, charlatans, quacks … she heard Jesus the Healer was in her vicinity.

But she needed a strategy. As one from The Edge, she wasn’t permitted in The Centre. It was forbidden. Punishable by Law. By Death even. Except that she was already dead. To everyone who knew her. What SHE sought was Life. And she found the Lifeline. Every convention went out the window – she knew What she needed. Healing from the disease that separated her from her near and dear. A chance to find ‘Normal’ once again.

She reached …

She sought …

She grasped …

The Edge of Jesus’ robe.

She found Redemption, Restoration, Release right there at the edge of The Centre. And at that Edge, she met the self she knew herself to be. A new lease on Life. She was no longer dead to the world, outcast, ignored.

The same is possible for each of us! Jesus Christ, son of Mary, Son of God, Lion of Judah is risen and offers offers each of us Life at the Centre – even if we are at The Edge. We can find healing deliverance in His wings (commentaries suggest that the Hebrew for the fringe bits on the prayer shawl worn by all Jews is ‘wings’. So the woman actually found healing in His ‘wings’ right there at the Edge)

Are we ready to reach beyond the limits others have placed on us and move away from The Edge? Jesus is here; inviting us to the Centre? Will we join Him?

In Christ’s love and grace . . .