I cried that she cried

Walked in on my wife as she sit up on the edge of the bed. She was rubbing her legs down with something, I am not sure what it was. As she did so, she was crying. Out of the medicine she needs to relieve the pain and without the money to get it, she has had to endure and tough it out. Not that the medicine eliminates the pain, but it helps reduce it to being livable.

I don't know if she was crying because of the pain or because of the fact that the medicine she needs is so expensive that she can't get it. Or was she crying because in spite of the fact that the church seems to be growing again, we still haven't gotten over the financial struggles we're in. Living in Rutherford County and pastoring a small church is not easy in these trying times. Ranked 13th in the nation with depression because of the lack of jobs and low paying ones that exist, the county continues to struggle. This is where we are.

I've watched as both sides of the political platform has fought over the health care bill. I have reservations about the government bailouts that have gone on and the increasing budget deficit. But I have been in third world countries that have better health care than we do. Trish and I do not have medical insurance. We simply can't afford it.

And so, sometimes at night, she cries. And when I see it, I do, too.

DEALING WITH AN ISSUE?

Luke 8:43 says "And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years..."

The bible does not give us this woman's name, but we do have some history. Her history was one of pain and disappointment. She had suffered with a disease for twelve long years. She had invested all of her income on trying to get better. But nothing and no one was able to help her or provide the relief she needed. We have a saying here in the South that indicates how we feel sometimes when we find ourselves at rock bottom: "broke, busted, and disgusted." I am sure if we could ask the nameless woman how she felt during these years of sickness, she would have expressed something in that vein.

She was dealing with an issue. It was a blood hemorrhage. According to the Levitical law, she was unclean. Add that to her problems. Not only suffering, but religion and society called upon her to be cast as unclean. Restrictions were placed upon her life because of her condition. Her condition affected her position.

This woman was actually dealing with a number of "issues." The pain, sickness, and disease were one. The financial strain was another. The unclean issue was another. I am sure discouragement, fear, and worry crept in. And what about isolation? Isolation from family, friends, church, and community were also a real part of her life. Yes, she was dealing, not just with an issue, but with a number of them. But she had one dominant issue that was engine that propelled the others. Get rid of the one, and the others would be lifeless, or at least less effective.

Like the woman in the bible, most of us are dealing with issues. It may be a marriage breakdown, a financial crisis, a sickness or disease. It may be a struggle with drugs or alcohol. Your issue may be lust. You may have an issue of unforgiveness. You probably have one dominant issue that is your greatest weakness. Yes, I have an issue, and I have issues. No, I am not telling you mine. I am just stating that we all have them.

The good news is that there is ONE who is able to give us the victory over the issue. His name is Jesus. The sick woman heard of Him, and pressed through the crowd. She touched the hem of his garment, and was instantly made whole. Healed, delivered, free-- from every issue.

Some healings are instantaneous, and some are a process. This one thing I know. I just want to lay every issue in my life before Christ, who can do what none other can.

I encourage you today to lay your issue before Jesus!