Lessons Learned: Veronica

Luke 8:43-48

I was looking through Liz Curtis Higgs’ book Really Bad Girls of the Bible and I came across this woman named Veronica.  Early church legion has given the woman with a blood issue for twelve years the name of Veronica.  I felt led to write her story.  All scripture is in the New Living Translation and is in italics.

Veronica’s Story

I was twelve years old when I got my period.  I was so excited that day.  It meant I was a woman and could soon think of marriage and having babies.  There was even a boy I liked in the village named Jerry.  Day five came and went but I was still bleeding.  Day ten.  Day twenty.  A whole month and the bleeding would not stop.  My mother was overly concerned and so was I. 

My mother took me to a doctor.  He gave me some bitter herbs to take for ten days.  I felt so hopeful but after ten days I was still bleeding like always.  Another two months and my mother told me of another doctor in a nearby town who might be able to help.  We went alone to the town and found the doctor.  I saw my mother give the doctor a couple of silver coins.  I knew it was money she earned from dying linen for people.  This doctor gave me different herbs to take for ten days.  He promised me I would be well again.  I was so hopeful.

Yet again ten days went by and I was not any better.  The herbs made me sick to my stomach.  I beg my mother to let me stop but she said I must follow the doctor orders so I would get well.  She wanted me to have a normal life.  She also knew if she were caring for me, she would have to stay away from her husband and family.  She was starting to become inpatient with me.  I started to feel like an outcast.

You see in my culture when a woman is on her period she is considered “unclean” and cannot go out in public or go to the synagogue.  Other rules for when one was unclean included no touching and no one could touch any beds or chairs I sat upon.  I was basically confined to my room except to wash my own cloths and other clothes.  My mother would bring my food to my door and knock so I would know it was there.  I felt so alone.

This went on for two years.  Sometimes my mother would come to my door and we would talk awhile but that was the only interaction with people I had.  Then my mother heard of another doctor who might be able to help.  He was ten miles from us.  My mother gave me some money to go see him, but I would have to go alone.  I started out as soon as it was daylight.  I was frightened to go alone but my mother said my father would not allow her to go with me.  I was so tired when I arrived.  The doctor laughed at the amount of money I had and said he could not help me unless I brought twice as much.  I had no choice but to return home that same day.  I would not be allowed to stay at an inn in my condition.  I prayed the Lord would protect me and give me strength.  It was the next morning when I made it home.

When I was sixteen my father built me a tiny house on their property.  He said they could not continue to live with me in the house.  He gave me a small inheritance and wished me well.  I felt even more alone.  The only contact I had was when I went to the market once a week for supplies to keep me fed.  Even then I could not get close to the booths but shouted what I wanted.  The shopkeeper would then put my items ten feet from the booth, and I would come and get it leaving the money on the ground.  For eight years I endured this life.  Sometimes I would go to a new doctor, but the cost was generally high, and the cure never came.  I just gave up after a while.  I had no more money for doctors.  My body was growing weaker and my spirit even more so.  Then I heard about Jesus.

I went to the marketplace on day and one of the more friendly vendors told me about Jesus.  She said he healed people everywhere he went, and he was in Capernaum.  My heart sank as Capernaum was thirty miles away, but I knew I had to try because if I did not, I would soon die and broke and lonely woman of twenty-four.

I made up my mind to go so I stopped at the well to get some water for the journey.  I made some bread and for the first time in many years I went to sleep with my heart feeling hopeful.  I woke up early and felt a renewed strength.  I set out and walked all day.  When night came, I found a small cave to sleep.   There I rested until morning.  I got up and continued walking until mid-afternoon.  I entered the town where Jesus was and saw a large crowd around him.  My heart sank.  How could I approach him with so many people around him?  I thought to myself if I could only touch the hem of his garment, I would be healed.  Slowly I made my way closer.  Somehow, I managed to get close enough.  I reached out and my hand brushed the edge of Jesus’ robe.  Immediately I was healed.  I felt it in every fiber of my being.  I felt like I was twelve again.  Oh, Praise God!

Suddenly I heard Jesus say, “Who touched me?”  I stood still hoping no one would know it was me.  The men around Jesus said “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.”  Then Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.”  I knew then I had to tell him.  “Good sir” I said “I have been bleeding for twelve years.  I have spent everything I had on doctors who could not help me.  I am getting worse and fear I would have died soon if I did not come here to you for help.”  “Daughter,” he said to me, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

As I made my way home my heart sang with joy!  When I got home, I went and told my parents what had happened.  They were overjoyed.  They had their daughter back.  I followed the law and waited the seven days to present myself at the synagogue with my sacrifice of two doves.  I used the wait to completely clean my house.  I could not wait to go out in public again.  On the seventh day I washed myself completely and purchased two doves and made my way to the synagogue.  I was smiling along the way, and everyone was smiling back at me.  Tonight, I would feast at my parent’s house.  I could hug them and hug my brothers and sister.  Such joy!

A few days later my parents had me over for dinner again.  This time they said they would have a guest there also.  To my surprise it was the still single Jerry I like when I was twelve.  He had grown into a wealthy businessman.  He was very funny, and it felt good to laugh again.  He courted me for awhile and soon I was pledged to be his wife.  Three years later I had a baby boy we named Aaron.  God gave us three more children.  I am so thankful I was able to touch Jesus’ hem that day.  He is my Lord and Savior.

Summary

I cannot imagine what it was like to have your period for twelve years.  After we adopted our two children my period became increasing long.  It was still regular, but it would last fifteen days per month.  By the time I had my hysterectomy I was very anemic.  It did not help we were also having marital problems and my then husband was spending more time with the other woman than he was with me and our kids.  Those were tough times, but after the hysterectomy I felt like a new woman.  I went on to divorce my husband when I realized there was no saving my marriage and completed nines years of school to get my master’s degree.  God has been so good to me!  Has God cause healing in your life?

I am a Christianbook.com Home affiliate. If you click on a link and make a purchase I may earn a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you. Below is the book I mentioned in the first paragragh.

Really Bad Girls of the Bible, updated and repackaged
By Liz Curtis Higgs / WaterBrook

Meet shady ladies from Scripture and discover the godly lessons they can teach us! In this updated edition of her bestseller, Higgs introduces you to eight flawed females—including Jael, Tamar, Bathsheba, and the adultress—whose stories reveal that no matter how far we fall, God’s grace, compassion, and love can redeem our mistakes. Includes discussion questions and a study guide. 304 pages, softcover from Waterbrook.