Life-Giving Bible Verses for Womenਨਮੂਨਾ

When You Need a Father’s Love

The woman with the issue of blood had suffered much more than a physical ailment over the past twelve years. Not only was she weakened by the constant flow of blood, but she was isolated from the community. Constantly unclean according to Jewish law, she had to remain separate and avoid touching others so they wouldn’t become unclean. In a way, she may have felt cut off from the family of God. When she touched the hem of Jesus’s garment and He faced her, she may have braced herself for harsh words and a command to leave, for she had made this holy man unclean. Instead of chastising her though, Jesus called her daughter, a word of family, home, and belonging.

It’s interesting that her story interrupts an earthly father’s quest to save His own daughter from death. When the woman touched Jesus, He was en route to heal Jairus’s dying daughter. In Jairus, we see a good earthly father who would stop at nothing to save his daughter’s life. Though he was an imperfect human, his love for his little girl compelled him to do whatever it took for her healing. How much more does our heavenly Father seek to rescue His daughters! Although we see no earthly father advocating for the suffering woman, Jesus’s words and actions exude God’s fatherly love. Not only did He heal her, He stopped to encourage her, commend her faith, and call her daughter.

Whether you have a loving earthly father or not, your Father in heaven loves you just as He loved the suffering woman in Mark 5. When you need a father’s love, you have the Father’s love. His love is not in a hurry. His love advocates for you when you feel alone in the world. His love calls you daughter and invites you into His family, giving you a new name and new life.

Pray: Father in heaven, thank You for adopting me as Your daughter and for giving me a new identity. Help me to believe in the love You have for me and to embrace my identity as Your daughter.