I’m making my way through Leviticus and, wait for it, I’m learning stuff! I just finished reading chapter 15 and, before you flip there, I’ll just warn you – it’s about bodily discharges. You’re welcome.

Leviticus 15:25-27 caught my attention. It’s about a woman who bleeds for reasons other than normal menstruation. We’re talking about a medical issue beyond her control. Do you know what it says about her?

 

She’s unclean.

Her clothes are unclean.

Her bed is unclean.

Anything she sits on is unclean.

Anyone who touches her or any of her unclean things is ( you guessed it) unclean.

On top of all of that, we read in Leviticus 13 that unclean people had to proclaim their uncleanness when out in public. Can you imagine?

I’m unclean! I’m unclean!

What if we had to speak our shame everywhere we went? What would it be for you?

Addict? Adulterer? Gossip? Divorced? Unwed mother? Criminal record? Bankruptcy?

What if that thing that you label “nobody’s business” was, in fact, everybody’s business?

This is the world in which the woman in Luke 8 lived.

And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. Luke 8:43

Twelve years of uncleanness.

She’s unclean.

Her clothes are unclean.

Her bed is unclean.

Anything she sits on is unclean.

Anyone who brushes up against her is unclean.

She’s broken and she’s broke.

And she has to announce her uncleanness everywhere she goes.

Now, go back and read her story (Luke 8:43-48) in light of Leviticus 13:45 and Leviticus 15:25-27.

A weaker woman would have been consumed with hiding. This was no weak woman. This strong woman was consumed with healing.

Do you need healing? Stretch out your hand, unclean as it may be, my friend. Jesus is within reach.

You are loved. <3