By the Hem of His Robe

Dear Mosaic,

Living in a fallen world, pain and suffering are part of our universal experience. Very few, if any of us, escape the ravages of disease, aging, and trauma. Further complicating our lot, we often respond to our wounds with shame and guilt. We tend to believe that our afflictions are the result of poor decisions or even “bad” behaviors that we must atone for in this life. 

This internal burden can keep us from enjoying our relationships with each other, the fruits of our labor, and even the blessings from God. Yet, this is not the experience of life that God desires for us to be “stuck in.” From the beginning, God created everything good, whole, and flourishing (Genesis 1:31). His design is for us to live in a state of Shalom, which can only come from being in communion with him. Not only are we saved from sin and death through faith in the person and work of Jesus, but we are also to be restored bodily (Jeremiah 30:17; 1 Corinthians 15) in the resurrection.  

Join us this week as we explore the themes of suffering, shame, and restoration in the telling of Jesus' healing of a woman who bled for twelve years (Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48). We will unpack the role of faith, confession, and the amazing power of the Savior to redeem our brokenness in ways that we might not expect or understand.

Peace,

Keith Lahikainen