Over the years I have learned there are two times a man doesn’t understand a woman: before marriage and after marriage.

Now having said that and poked a little fun at the females, I want us to try to understand "the woman in us all". No not wearing a dress or  anything flaky. No medical operation but maybe a spiritual one. Let's look at a woman encountered by Christ in Luke 8. Let's read Luke 8:43-48.

First let's see ourselves in three bad things about this woman. 

First, she was a social outcast because her infirmity would have made her unclean in a culture that was all about cleanliness. Leviticus 15 makes it plain that those with issues are shunned. You can see the extent of this shunning in Leviticus 15:25. Like her we too have an issue, ours is an issue of sin. We too are outcasts in God’s society which is about spiritual cleanliness and perfection. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" – Romans 3:23

Second, her riches could not help her. She had spent everything trying to find answers. Many try to solve their own problems and earn or buy their way into Heaven. But no one will get in by their own efforts or due to any amount of money. In fact Jesus even said it was difficult for a rich man to enter heaven; just look at the encounter with the rich young man found in Matthew 19:16-26. Ephesians 2:9 tells us salvation is not by any works so none of us can boast.

Third, not only was she unable to help herself but nobody else could help her. She had sought help from the best and wisest doctors - all to no avail. No one could help her and no one can help us. On judgment day if I claim "But God I know Preacher Moody" God will turn to me and say "Fool – depart from me. I never knew you"

Now for the three good things about this woman...

She knew she needed a touch from the master. Only Jesus could help but only because she had faith. We too need the same healing faith this woman had.

Also she took the first step. She reached out to him. We too must take a step and make that choice. Just knowing he could help didn’t heal, her she had to act on that knowledge. She asked the question many have asked "What must I do to be saved?" and she answered herself "I must turn to Jesus." We too must realize our need for Jesus. Perhaps she rose above the crowd leaning far over them stretching to grasp him, or perhaps, she humbly crawled and snaked through the legs of the crowd to reach Him. Her faith was experiential not intellectual (we don’t know about God we know God)

Experiential Faith (from the Evidence Bible by Ray Comfort, p. 360)

Our faith isn’t intellectual; it is experiential. We don’t know about God, we know Him. At the University of Chicago Divinity School, each year they have what is called "Baptist Day". It is a day when the school invites all the Baptists in the area to the school because they want the Baptist dollars to deep coming in.
   On this day each one is to bring a lunch to be eaten outdoors in a grassy picnic area. Every " Baptist Day" the school would invite one the greatest minds to lecture in the theological education center, One year they invited Dr. Paul Tillich, Dr. Tillich spoke for two-and-a-half hours proving that the resurrection of Jesus was false. He quoted scholar after scholar and book after book. He concluded that since there was no such thing as the historical resurrection, the religious tradition of the Church was groundless, emotional mumbo-jumbo, because it was based on a relationship with a risen Jesus, who, in fact, never rose from the dead in any literal sense. He then asked if there were any questions.
   After about 30 seconds, an old preacher with a head of short-cropped, woolly white hair stood up in the back of the auditorium. "Docta Tillich, I got one question," he said as all eyes turned toward him. He reached into his lunch sack and pulled out an apple and began eating it. "Docta Tillich (crunch, munch), my question is a simple one (crunch, munch). Now I ain’t never read them books you read (crunch, munch), and I can’t recite the Scriptures in the original Greek (crunch, munch), I don’t know nothin’ about Niebuhr and Heidegger (crunch, munch)." He finished the apple. "All I wanna know is: This apple I just ate—was it bitter or sweet?"
   Dr. Tillich paused for a moment and answered in exemplary scholarly fashion: "I cannot possibly answer that question, for I haven’t tasted your apple." The white-haired preacher dropped the apple core into his crumpled paper bag, looked up at Dr. Tillich and said calmly, " Neither have you tasted my Jesus."
   The 1,000-plus in attendance could not contain themselves. The auditorium erupted with applause and cheers. Dr. Tillich thanked his audience and promptly left the platform.
   "Taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him" (Psalm 34:8). It has been well said, "The man with an experience is not at the mercy of a man with an argument."

Also notice that Jesus asked who touched me. The disciples just didn't understand. It wasn’t Jesus' flesh that was touched; it was His heart. Because of his love for us, our problems are Jesus' problems and He wants to help. Jesus wept over a friend (John 11:35). He felt compassion for a crowd (Matt 9:36). Even here he was on his way to help a child but paused to help this woman. Jesus is never too busy for us. He is a loving God and wants to help us all.

Jesus gave her more than she asked for. She wanted healing. He gave her perfect healing and eternal life. Many of us just want a ticket to heaven or a get out of hell free card. But, He gives so much more. John 10:10 records Jesus saying He has "come to give life and life more abundant." Life and abundant life - that's peace, love, joy, and more. All the good things in life that money can't buy, He freely gives.

Jesus came to her town just as he comes and knocks on our hearts door. He wants to see us. He wants to heal us. She had to come out to the street. We have to open the door of our heart. Revelation 3:20 – "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me"

But, when she did; they became family. Notice that Jesus addressed her as daughter. Salvation is adoption into God’s family. We become the Father’s child.

Will we like the woman seek our Savior or like the crowd overlook all that he offers. Will we see His greatness or will we get so busy that we forget what His touch can do?