From Matthew 9:18-26 – Part 1 / Prayer of Faith – Matthew arranges his material here so as to keep the two events – that of the woman with an issue of blood and the Ruler’s daughter – in one pericope. I’m not sure why, but that both examples (and the one which follows these with the two blind men) all point to knowing our need, knowing only Jesus can meet it, and that in all three cases – all was hopeless apart from Him. And so it is with out lost condition before salvation, and our constant need of Him after saving faith. Sin is incurable. But for Christ.

Her faith did not do what it did in a vacuum, as though faith had power in itself. What her faith did was bring her to Christ, and to trust that HE could work. Faith does nothing on its own. Faith is neither a “work”, nor a generic cosmic force we can somehow tap into for our own uses, it is looking to Christ.

“Just believe” is the mantra of the mere supernaturalist, of the undefined mystic. It is not the faith of the Bible. Biblical faith always has as its object God Himself. Trusting Him, not just trusting – who knows what?

So note the nature of her faith. She did not imagine she needed Him to stand and make pronouncements, move mountains, still seas, rebuke storms or demons – she knew all she needed was the slightest touch. That grace and mercy are so grand, so expansive, that the slightest true touch – even of just His garment, will transform in the most unspeakably glorious and powerful way.

J. C. Ryle writes here: “what encouragement our Lord gives to the humblest faith. We read in this passage, that a woman sorely afflicted with disease, came behind our Lord in the crowd, and “touched the hem” of His garment, in the hope that by so doing she should be healed. She said not a word to obtain help. She made no public confession of faith. But she had confidence, that if she could only “touch His garment,” she would be made well. And so it was. There lay hid in that act of her’s a seed of precious faith, which obtained our Lord’s commendation. She was made whole at once, and returned home in peace. To use the words of a good old writer, “She came trembling, and went back triumphing.” _{Ryle, J. C. Expository Thoughts on Matthew. Robert Carter & Brothers, 1860, pp. 88–89.}

But note too what an example of prevailing prayer he have here. What you and I need every day, is the sense of our need being great enough, that we will press through the mob of all that claims our attention and seems to make Him distant, to but touch the hem of His robe. The “prayer of faith” in James 5:15 is not some special, secret species of prayer – it is as these demonstrate – trustingly seeking out Christ.

Christian, let me ask you, do you feel any sense of the NEED for Him today? If not, you probably will know little of meeting Him today.

And un-Believer, until you know the deep need of your soul, that only Christ can reconcile you back to God the Father through faith in His atoning sacrifice on Calvary – until you know you are truly lost and condemned apart from you – you will know nothing of Him or His power.

This dear lady was undaunted by the raucous crowd. Unfazed by the fact that Jesus was on His way to do something else for someone else. Undeterred by her own low and unclean status. Unwilling to be kept from reaching Him – if only to brush the hem of His robe. Her great object was to get to Jesus. This is what prevailing prayer is. When we know He alone can meet our need, when we have recognized that our greatest need is Jesus Himself, when we realize wholeness is found only in Him – and we pursue Him relentlessly – this is prevailing prayer. He loves to be sought out.

Lord Jesus, let me come to you – today! Fill me with a relentless, seeking heart after you. And let me be satisfied with nothing else than knowing I have touched you.

This is the place of prayer. Press through. Touch His hem.