\“At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, ‘Who touched My clothes?’ . . . Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at this feet, and, trembling with fear, told Him the whole truth.” (Mark 5:30,33)

Slip in and slip out.

That was her plan. She knew that if she just touched the hem of His garment, she would be healed, despite 12 years of illness.

And she did it. The crowd around Jesus was pushing and shoving, moving along down the path toward Jarius’ house, where Jesus was heading to heal a sick girl. But in the crowd was an unnamed woman. It’s not likely that she pushed and shoved her way in toward Jesus. Rather, it’s more likely that she quietly yet determinedly worked her way through the crowd until she could ever so slightly touch the hem of His garment and slip away.  

And apparently she got what she came for. She could feel it immediately. Her illness was healed.

But she didn’t get far before Jesus called attention to her. How could He have known? It’s not as if you can even feel someone touch your clothes.

Nevertheless, Jesus stopped and demanded to know who had touched Him. Despite Peter’s insistence it could have been any number of people, Jesus persisted. Someone had touched Him. And He wasn’t moving until He knew who it was.

Coming forward was risky. She had been unclean. In fact, she had touched countless people in the process.  She had been opportunistic, putting others in harm’s way only to get what she wanted. Certainly Jesus, and others, wouldn’t look favorably on this.    

But she took the risk. And in doing so this woman received immeasurably more than what she came for. Jesus said, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

She came for healing. He gave her more.  

How easy it is to think that all we are coming for with a capital campaign effort is enough money to complete this project. But a specific dollar amount is never the ultimate goal. How will lives be changed through expanded ministry? How is God challenging you in faith as you consider your sacrificial gift? How is this ministry gaining greater clarity and vision as a result of this effort? No matter what the goal might be, God can do more.