Ancient Magdala And A Story of Trust

During our recent trip to the Holy Land, we had an incredible stay on the Sea of Galilee in the ancient village of Magdala.  

The first-century village, including the synagogue, was unearthed during a recent construction project and has quickly become one of the most important archeological sites in the Holy Land. 

It is almost certain that Jesus preached in the synagogue of Magdala, as it was one of the most populated villages of its day. But that's just part of the story.  In Mark 5:25-34, we have the story of a miracle that Jesus performed there that teaches us about trust and healing.  

"A woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better, she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak, thinking, ‘If I just buy His clothes, I will be healed.’

Immediately, her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once, Jesus realized that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ His disciples said to Him, ‘You see the people crowding against You, and yet You can ask, “Who touched me?”’ But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 

Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at His feet and, trembling with fear, told Him the whole truth. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.'”

This story beautifully illustrates the power of trust in Jesus. The woman’s faith was simple yet profound—she believed touching His garment could heal her. Her trust wasn’t based on certainty, but on what she had heard about Jesus’s compassion and power.

Sometimes, our trust in Jesus may be tested. We might think we need to have enough faith to be rewarded with immediate healing or change, but the truth is that trusting Jesus often involves surrender, patience, and endurance. 

The woman’s healing came after years of suffering, when she found that all her efforts for a cure had failed. Then she surrendered, trusted, and pinned all her hopes on a simple touch of the mysterious rabbi from Nazareth.  

There are moments in my life when I  have had only this prayer to pray to God: “This is too much; You take it.” 

Trusting Jesus doesn’t mean ignoring our pain or pretending everything is fine. Instead, it means laying our burdens at His feet, knowing that wholeness of mind, body, and spirit often follows our surrender.

Remember, in our darkest moments, Jesus' presence can bring comfort, healing, and peace if we trust Him. We don’t need to fear the future—Jesus has prepared a place of peace for us there already. 

When we trust Jesus, we are reminded that God's purposes for us, though often mysterious and challenging, are for good, and God's merciful presence is always near.

May we learn to trust Jesus even when the path is difficult. May we be taught to surrender our burdens and believe in Jesus' power to heal and restore, even when we may not fully understand the kind of healing and restoration that comes. 

Remember that we are never alone, and God's love is always near. 

May it be so for us all, and may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us always. Amen.