In a lullaby that came out a few years ago, a mother sings to her daughter what God thinks of her:

“You are beautiful and greatly loved. Though the flower may fade, your worth will never age. The breath of heaven from above flows through the both of us, singing over us, you are greatly loved.”

She’s right. The daughters of God are beautiful and greatly loved by Jesus.

A Father’s Plea

On a certain day in Jesus’ life, the ruler of a synagogue ran up to him, fell down at his feet, and pleaded with him to come to his house and heal his twelve-year-old daughter who was very sick. Jesus immediately stopped what he was doing and followed the man, whose name was Jairus (Mark 5:22–24).

A Woman Who Was Afraid

But on his way there, a woman appeared who had been suffering from some kind of hemorrhaging for twelve years. She had spent all her money on doctors in search of a remedy. But no one could help her. In fact, they only made things worse. She must have lost all confidence in the medical profession.

What made it even worse was that the bleeding made her religiously unclean. She must have felt ashamed and very alone (Mark 5:26, Leviticus 15:25).

But on that day, Jesus came walking down the road. She had heard of Jesus and believed he could heal her. But after so many disappointments, she was too afraid to walk right up to him, as Jairus had done. How could she? She was an unclean woman, and he was the Lord from heaven!

But she was desperate. So she crept through the crowd, she approached him from behind, and she touched his garment. She immediately felt the healing power of Christ flood her body, and the bleeding stopped! She quickly backed away, hoping no one would notice her.

“Daughter, Be of Good Comfort”

But Jesus turned around and said, “Who touched my clothes?” Jesus knew who touched him. He knew that frightened woman who had reached out to him by faith. He knew too that he had healed her. But he asked the question so that everyone in that crowd would know that a miracle just happened, and they would glorify God. He also wanted her to know that she was loved and did not need to be afraid.

When she saw that she could not hide, she fell down before him shaking, and she confessed before all the people that she was the one who touched his garment and that she was healed (Luke 8:47). What will he say? Will he be angry? What was she thinking?

When Jesus opened his mouth, he spoke these tender words: “Daughter, be of good comfort. Your faith has made you whole. Go in peace.”

What gentle love Christ had for that bleeding, frightened, embarrassed daughter of God! You are beautiful and greatly loved! When you are bleeding, broken, and alone, remember that Jesus is a merciful and compassionate Saviour (Matthew 9:22, Mark 5:34, Luke 8:48).

“Arise”

After this, Jesus showed his gentle love to a younger daughter of God. He followed Jairus to his house. By that time, his daughter was dead. Jesus said not to be afraid, but to believe. He promised that she would recover.

He told everyone to leave the house, except for three of his disciples and the father and mother of the girl. He looked at her lying there with her eyes closed. He took her by the hand and said, Arise. At his word, her spirit returned to her body. She opened her eyes and sat up, to the amazement and joy of her parents! (Mark 5:35–42)

Pure and Gentle Love

What great love Jesus has for the daughters of God of all ages! Jesus always treated women and girls in a manner that was good and pure. There are wicked people in this world who touch children in ways that are perverted and evil. They could not care less that they inflict lasting wounds on the tender soul of a child. But Jesus never did such things. He healed and comforted the daughters of God, because in his eyes they are beautiful and greatly loved.

If You Have Been Hurt

Did you ever suffer abuse from an older boy or man when you were younger? Does it still give you pain and shame to this day? Does it feel like your heart was stabbed and is constantly bleeding? Do you feel timid to approach men, even men of God in the church?

Then just remember Jesus, a man who is also the Son of God, who showed pure, gentle love toward women and children during his life on earth. He never used or abused them, but always healed and restored them.

Go to Jesus. Touch him by faith. Trust in him to heal your bleeding heart and to give you true and everlasting life. He alone can take away your sins and the pain you suffer from the sins of others.

If you do not know him, open a Bible and read the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and come to church to hear about him. You are welcome to visit our church any Sunday to hear more about Jesus.

A Word to Men

Let me speak to you men who are reading this. Jesus shows us how we should treat the women and children in our lives. We must love the women and children in our lives as Jesus did.

Jesus did not entice children with sweet words to get them to trust him and then pounce on them like a predator to satisfy his lusts. Jesus is not a wolf but a shepherd. He came to seek and to save the lost, to heal the sick and raise the dead back to life.

Jesus did not look at women lustfully, like those who watch pornographic videos. Jesus did not think children or women are there to satisfy the desires of men. But Jesus viewed that bleeding and hurting woman as a “daughter.” She was a daughter of God, just like every girl or woman who embraces Jesus by faith.

Men, we must learn to reflect the gentle, pure, and faithful love of Christ toward women and children in our lives. If we have failed to do so in any way, we must repent of our sins and ask God to forgive us. We must change our attitudes and help the women we hurt to heal. May God grant you forgiveness and repentance, so that you praise him for the riches of his grace.

Zephaniah 3:14–17

Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.

In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.

The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

Visit Us

The Wingham Protestant Reformed Church warmly welcomes you! Please feel free to browse our website for more information about our congregational life, denomination and doctrines.

Wingham PRC
292 Edward St., Wingham, Ontario, Canada
Sunday services: 10:30 AM and 1:00 PM
www.winghamprc.org

Loving the Daughters of God

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