Daughter, Be Encouraged

There are many things that can make a parent proud about their children. Daughters can make their mothers very proud at times and they want to commend them for their achievements.

Jesus showed approval of a woman that expressed her faith in Him, one in which he called daughter.

“A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding.

She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”” Mark‬ ‭5:25, 27-28‬ ‭

Matthew adds that Jesus told the daughter to be encouraged by her faith. “Daughter, be encouraged!“ Matthew 9:22 Romans 1:12 says that we should encourage each other in our faith.

Jesus‘ response to this young woman was gentle and full of compassion. “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” Mark 5:34

She had so much faith in Jesus, that she knew if she just reached out her hand to touch His robe, she would be healed. Jesus saw this faith and rewarded her for it. He called her daughter, as if a proud father would commend his daughter.

I looked up this original Greek word for daughter here, thinking it must have some other meaning behind it, but it just means what we think and is used as just daughter, a female child, and is used as this in other references as well.

My daughter has had many accomplishments in her almost 18 years of life and I like most mothers am proud of her.

She accomplished all of her high school goals, completing it with a 3.8 gpa. She achieved her dream of going to college to play volleyball. She’s neat, tidy and organized and keeps the house clean, to earn some gas money. 😏. We‘re going to miss our maid when she goes off to college. 😉 She’s kind, loving, considerate and inclusive to those around her. A mentor to those who are younger. Many things to make a mother proud.

But what I’m most proud of her for is her faith. I witnessed her express her faith, use courage and strength from the Lord to help someone who doesn’t know Christ well and was struggling with worldly issues and guide them in Gods Word, with words of truth. Showing her the way to Christ, showing her the love of Christ, conversing with her over a very sensitive subject, but doing it in a loving, Christian way. She let Christ shine though her last night. She was the light and salt that this world needs and that Jesus asks us to be. It makes my heart glad to see my child grow in her faith and be able to share the love of Christ, to not be ashamed of the gospel. Somebody must’ve raised her right. 😉 All glory to God.

So yes, I’m proud of her earthly accomplishments, but of her spiritual growth so much more.

So with that I feel confident to send her out in the world knowing her faith will be strong and she will have that to rely on and I pray she continues to grow even stronger.

She, like the woman with the ailment has a great faith. The one to whom Jesus called daughter had faith that He could heal her and it made her well. My daughter has faith also that Jesus can heal her and other‘s spiritual ailments. She has faith that the great physician can heal us of our sin sick souls and wants to share that good news with others. Her faith has made her well with the Lord.

As a Christian, she’s not only my daughter, but the ‘Father’s‘ daughter, as well.

Jesus can say and I can proudly say, daughter, your faith has made you well, go in peace.