Take Heart
θαρσέω
Greek transliteration:
tharseō
Simplified transliteration:
tharseo
Definition:
to be of good courage, be of good cheer, Matthew 9:2
to be confident, hopeful; to be bold, maintain a bold bearing, Matthew 9:22; 14:27; Mark 6:50; 10:49; John 16:33; Acts 23:11*
Frequency in New Testament:
7 times
(English) Courage:
1. Middle English (denoting the heart, as the seat of feelings): from Old French corage, from Latin cor ‘heart.’
2. mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.
3. the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.
In Matthew 9, an account of a woman being healed is given. This story is only 3 verses.
Jesus is on His way to the house of a ruler to raise his daughter from the dead, and a crowd is following Him along with His disciples. In verse 20, it says "And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for 12 years came up behind him and touched the fringe of His garment."
This is all she did. She saw Jesus, and, as it says in verse 21: "She said to herself, "If I only touch His garment, I will be made well."
This woman, after 12 years of suffering, saw hope in Jesus. She saw her healing in Jesus. She was desperate to get to Jesus.
She had no intention of making herself known. She was ashamed and alone because of her illness. In that time, a bleeding woman was considered unclean, and had to be kept separate from the community. According to Bible Gateway: "This sick, anonymous woman must have been emaciated after a hemorrhage lasting for twelve years, which rendered her legally unclean. She could not throw herself, therefore, at the feet of Christ and state her complaint. Her modesty, humility, uncleanness and pressure of the crowd made close contact well-nigh impossible, hence her eagerness to touch in some unnoticed way the hem of His garment. Who was this woman of faith?"
She is anonymous. Some theologians and others have tried to identify her, but she is just a woman. Like any other woman or individual, she was suffering and needed relief. And she saw Jesus.
It took bravery for her to reach out to Jesus. It took strength for her to enter the crowd, pushing her way to Him. It took courage for her to reach out her hand and brush His garment.
And Jesus noticed.
Verse 22: Jesus turned, and seeing her said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly, the woman was made well.
And there ends her story.
The woman was instantly healed. Right there on the spot. Her 12 years of uncleanness and suffering was over within the blink of an eye.
Jesus did not ignore her. Jesus did not move away from her. Jesus did not despise her.
Jesus turned to her. He looked at her. He spoke to her.
Spoke right to her.
"Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well."
Jesus calls this anonymous woman - this woman who was used by medical men for money (explained in the other gospel accounts), who was shunned and ignored, and who was left alone in her illness - His daughter.
He claims her as His own.
Her faith, her small inkling of hope, made her well.
Is Jesus saying it was her own actions that healed her? Her will? Her goodness?
No.
Her faith was in Jesus. Not in His power, His benefits, His potential.
In was in HIM.
She trusted Jesus to heal her. She knew Jesus was able. She wanted Jesus to help her.
She had faith in Jesus Himself.
Jesus healed her and made her well, but that wasn't possible without her having faith.
Faith in Him.
"Take heart."
In the Greek translation, the word used here is θαρσέω, which translates to tharseo. 'Tharseo' translates to "courage." Courage comes from the Latin cor, which means 'heart.'
Courage means a strong heart, essentially. The heart is the throne of all emotions. The heart is the throne of God. That is where He reigns within us all.
This woman had a courageous heart. She took the courage in her heart and applied it to her hand, reaching out to touch Jesus. She had the courage to reach out and seek Him. And He answered.
She was not looking for attention. She did not put on a show. She did not throw herself at His feet and writhe and beg. She was silent. She was secret. She was humble.
But Jesus spoke.
I am reflecting on this today in light of the sermon I heard this past Sunday. The sermon was on Matthew 6, just 3 chapters before this beautiful account nestled in Chapter 9. Chapter 6 contains the "Do Not Be Anxious" account, where Jesus compares how God provides for us as He provides for the lilies of the field and the birds of the air. He provides all we need, in body and in soul, and because of that we never need to be anxious.
He provided all this woman needed, in body and in soul, and her 12 years of anxiety and loneliness was lifted. He healed her body, weak and afflicted by the bleeding, and her soul, emaciated and afflicted by despair. And He provided her with a family: Himself and all His people. She was adopted and loved, right there and then.
I am a daughter of God as well. I am weak and afflicted with a mental illness, in the process of being identified as either major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder. They manifest in the same ways but require completely different medications.
I have prayed for healing. I have thrown myself on the floor and on my bed, writhing in tearful screams, sobs, and strangled cries for healing. I have sat stock-still in silence and asked for healing. I have screamed at the top of my lungs in nature for healing. I have thrown pills, slammed doors, written furiously, stretched out my hands. All for healing.
My affliction has lasted for over 12 years now. I am like that woman, feeling anonymous within the presence of God, despite the fact He knows me more than anyone, including myself. He knows my frame, the days of my life, the number of hairs on my head. He knows me in body, in soul, in mind. He knows all of me.
I am reflecting on this in a newly born hope and courage that is taking root and forming in the sunshine of God's Word.
God has yet to say to me, "Take heart, Amanda; your faith has made you well."
This does not mean my faith is lacking. This does mean I am being punished for a "secret sin." This does not mean I won't ever be healed.
This means my suffering is for a purpose. My illness is to bring glory to God. God is not finished with me yet.
Is that hard to admit? Yes.
Does it take courage to admit? Yes.
Do I fear what others think of my illness? Yes.
Am I trying to find courage in Jesus? Yes.
Is my heart weak and timid? Yes.
Do I wish to roar as a lion and be strong? Yes.
I wish to take heart. I wish to be courageous. I wish to enthrone God in my heart daily, casting all my anxieties upon Him.
And I hold on to the hope that someday He will turn to me and say
Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.
But for now, He is saying:
Jesus is on His way to the house of a ruler to raise his daughter from the dead, and a crowd is following Him along with His disciples. In verse 20, it says "And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for 12 years came up behind him and touched the fringe of His garment."
This is all she did. She saw Jesus, and, as it says in verse 21: "She said to herself, "If I only touch His garment, I will be made well."
This woman, after 12 years of suffering, saw hope in Jesus. She saw her healing in Jesus. She was desperate to get to Jesus.
She had no intention of making herself known. She was ashamed and alone because of her illness. In that time, a bleeding woman was considered unclean, and had to be kept separate from the community. According to Bible Gateway: "This sick, anonymous woman must have been emaciated after a hemorrhage lasting for twelve years, which rendered her legally unclean. She could not throw herself, therefore, at the feet of Christ and state her complaint. Her modesty, humility, uncleanness and pressure of the crowd made close contact well-nigh impossible, hence her eagerness to touch in some unnoticed way the hem of His garment. Who was this woman of faith?"
She is anonymous. Some theologians and others have tried to identify her, but she is just a woman. Like any other woman or individual, she was suffering and needed relief. And she saw Jesus.
It took bravery for her to reach out to Jesus. It took strength for her to enter the crowd, pushing her way to Him. It took courage for her to reach out her hand and brush His garment.
And Jesus noticed.
Verse 22: Jesus turned, and seeing her said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly, the woman was made well.
And there ends her story.
The woman was instantly healed. Right there on the spot. Her 12 years of uncleanness and suffering was over within the blink of an eye.
Jesus did not ignore her. Jesus did not move away from her. Jesus did not despise her.
Jesus turned to her. He looked at her. He spoke to her.
Spoke right to her.
"Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well."
Jesus calls this anonymous woman - this woman who was used by medical men for money (explained in the other gospel accounts), who was shunned and ignored, and who was left alone in her illness - His daughter.
He claims her as His own.
Her faith, her small inkling of hope, made her well.
Is Jesus saying it was her own actions that healed her? Her will? Her goodness?
No.
Her faith was in Jesus. Not in His power, His benefits, His potential.
In was in HIM.
She trusted Jesus to heal her. She knew Jesus was able. She wanted Jesus to help her.
She had faith in Jesus Himself.
Jesus healed her and made her well, but that wasn't possible without her having faith.
Faith in Him.
"Take heart."
In the Greek translation, the word used here is θαρσέω, which translates to tharseo. 'Tharseo' translates to "courage." Courage comes from the Latin cor, which means 'heart.'
Courage means a strong heart, essentially. The heart is the throne of all emotions. The heart is the throne of God. That is where He reigns within us all.
This woman had a courageous heart. She took the courage in her heart and applied it to her hand, reaching out to touch Jesus. She had the courage to reach out and seek Him. And He answered.
She was not looking for attention. She did not put on a show. She did not throw herself at His feet and writhe and beg. She was silent. She was secret. She was humble.
But Jesus spoke.
I am reflecting on this today in light of the sermon I heard this past Sunday. The sermon was on Matthew 6, just 3 chapters before this beautiful account nestled in Chapter 9. Chapter 6 contains the "Do Not Be Anxious" account, where Jesus compares how God provides for us as He provides for the lilies of the field and the birds of the air. He provides all we need, in body and in soul, and because of that we never need to be anxious.
He provided all this woman needed, in body and in soul, and her 12 years of anxiety and loneliness was lifted. He healed her body, weak and afflicted by the bleeding, and her soul, emaciated and afflicted by despair. And He provided her with a family: Himself and all His people. She was adopted and loved, right there and then.
I am a daughter of God as well. I am weak and afflicted with a mental illness, in the process of being identified as either major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder. They manifest in the same ways but require completely different medications.
I have prayed for healing. I have thrown myself on the floor and on my bed, writhing in tearful screams, sobs, and strangled cries for healing. I have sat stock-still in silence and asked for healing. I have screamed at the top of my lungs in nature for healing. I have thrown pills, slammed doors, written furiously, stretched out my hands. All for healing.
My affliction has lasted for over 12 years now. I am like that woman, feeling anonymous within the presence of God, despite the fact He knows me more than anyone, including myself. He knows my frame, the days of my life, the number of hairs on my head. He knows me in body, in soul, in mind. He knows all of me.
I am reflecting on this in a newly born hope and courage that is taking root and forming in the sunshine of God's Word.
God has yet to say to me, "Take heart, Amanda; your faith has made you well."
This does not mean my faith is lacking. This does mean I am being punished for a "secret sin." This does not mean I won't ever be healed.
This means my suffering is for a purpose. My illness is to bring glory to God. God is not finished with me yet.
Is that hard to admit? Yes.
Does it take courage to admit? Yes.
Do I fear what others think of my illness? Yes.
Am I trying to find courage in Jesus? Yes.
Is my heart weak and timid? Yes.
Do I wish to roar as a lion and be strong? Yes.
I wish to take heart. I wish to be courageous. I wish to enthrone God in my heart daily, casting all my anxieties upon Him.
And I hold on to the hope that someday He will turn to me and say
Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.
But for now, He is saying:
Take heart, daughter; My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness. I see you. I love you.
Take heart.
Comments
Post a Comment