Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, "Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well." And the woman was healed at that moment.

Matthew 9:22

In Matthew 9:18-31, we see several people approach Jesus with bold faith. First, the leader of the synagogue asks Jesus not just to heal his daughter, but even to raise her from the dead. While Jesus is on the way to the leader's home, a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years touches his robe. She risked rebuke from Jesus and others because touching Jesus in this way made him ceremonially unclean. Finally, two blind men ask Jesus for mercy. But they don't ask humbly or politely. Rather, they shout to get Jesus' attention, barging into the house where Jesus was staying in order to get him to heal them. Talk about bold faith!

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Do you have such bold faith? Do you ever ask the Lord for big things? Impossible things? Do you risk reaching out to him, even when others, and maybe even you yourself, think you're being foolish? Do you shout out your needs to God? Are your prayers shaped by the extraordinary good news of Hebrew 4:

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

PRAYER: Dear Lord, when I see the boldness of the people in this section from Matthew, I am both embarrassed and encouraged. I'm embarrassed because I realize how weak my faith is, how hesitant my prayers can be. But I'm encouraged because I am reminded of how much freedom I have to approach you with boldness. What an extraordinary privilege and blessing!

Help me, Lord, to come to you with boldness, to trust you enough to tell you exactly what's on my mind and heart. May I ask you for big things, indeed, impossible things. May I reach out to you even when it seems risky. May I cry out to you as if interrupting you.

Thank you, gracious Lord, for the freedom I have to come boldly before your throne. Thank you for the promise that there I will receive mercy and grace. How good you are to me! Amen.