In the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Mark there is a story about one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus, and his daughter who was very ill. Like any parent facing a crisis with their child, Jairus was searching for any possible way to save his little girl from death. When his daughter failed to recover, and Jairus had probably been told, “There is nothing more we can do,” out of desperation, Jairus sought Jesus. He must have believed if he could somehow get Jesus to lay hands on her, not only would her life be spared, but he would also be spared the pain of losing her. He needed Jesus to do what no one else had been able to do; heal his daughter.
Jairus was a desperate man. Fear must have been consuming him. Have you ever found yourself in a crisis, consumed by fear, desperate for help? When Jairus was faced with his crisis, he went searching for Jesus. Have you searched for Jesus?
Jairus’ steps towards Jesus were full of faith and purpose and “when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly”(Mark 5:22) to come with him. Jairus wasn’t afraid to ask Jesus to come with him, nor was he intimated by the crowds; he simply fell at his feet and begged Jesus to come. And “Jesus went with him…”(vs. 24). Have you fallen at the feet of Jesus and begged Him earnestly to come with you back to the place where your crisis dwells?
Jairus began the walk with Jesus “… and a great multitude followed Him …” (vs. 24). Jesus and Jairus didn’t begin the journey alone; others followed. Invite those around you to walk beside you as you journey, with Jesus, towards the healing of your crisis. Ask others to join you in prayer, seeking Him on your behalf.
And then the true test of faith came as they were on their way and Jesus encounters a woman seeking healing from her own issue which caused a delay in reaching the daughter. It was “while He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further’” (Mark 5:35, NKJV)? Can you imagine the pain that sliced through Jairus’ heart from hearing those words? She is dead. You are too late. Why bother? I wonder if Jairus was thinking, “Why did You stop, Jesus? If we had just hurried, maybe we could have saved her.” While we are on our journey with Jesus to the healing place of our crisis, Jesus might have us stop along the way to help others who are in a crisis of their own. It’s ok. God is not concerned that He will be too late. Ever. He is always right on time.
Words that stung. Words that crushed. Words Jairus had tried to prevent from his hearing came flooding into his ears. She is dead. But, “as soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, ‘Do not be afraid; only believe’” (vs.36). Jesus heard the words of “some” too, but He spoke differently to Jairus. He told Jairus to not fear, but believe. Maybe this is what Jairus heard in the words of Jesus; “Don’t fear what you have heard, just believe in Me.” “Believe in my power.” “Believe in the One, standing next to you; the One that you came earnestly seeking the healing from.” Maybe these words are the ones Jesus wants us to hear when we are facing our own crisis and others speak words of death over our situation. Words like; “Why are you bothering Jesus with this prayer?” “Why are you still trusting God to heal this situation; why can’t you just move on?” Wow. I am forced to ask myself how many victories have been stolen from me because I heard “dead”, gave in to doubt and then quit walking with Jesus to the place where the resurrection would happen.
It was at this moment that Jesus “permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James” (vs. 37). He hushed the voices that believed what they heard- death had won, and took with Him those who had the faith to believe He wasn’t done yet. As time marches on and what we see with our natural eyes speaks death rather than life, we need to grab on to the three people around us that have the faith Peter, James and John had. They had the faith to continue the walk to Jairus’ house because they knew what Jesus was capable of. Who has the faith to walk with you all the way to the house because they understand what Jesus can do?
When Jesus arrived at the house, He was greeted by grief and ridiculed when He told them the girl was not dead, she was asleep, but “He took the child by the hand, and said to her, ‘Talitha, cumi,’ which is translated, ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise’” (vs. 41). There will be those around us who will grieve over our crisis; they will grieve what appears to be dead. There will be some who will ridicule our belief that God’s not dead and God’s not done, but just like those in the room of the little girl were “overcome with great amazement” when she “arose and walked,” maybe those who grieve and ridicule will do the same.
Several years ago I sought Jesus in desperation on behalf of a friend whose husband had asked her for a divorce. It was a total shock to both Pat and I, as well as to our family. This was a divorce no one saw coming. The husband had been involved in an affair and decided to choose the mistress over the family. I met Jesus, “fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly” to save this marriage. Pat and I confronted the man, comforted the wife and consoled the kids while continually crying out to the Lord for healing and restoration. And when the divorce was final and he remarried, we quit. We gave it a good shot, right? It was worth a try, right? His ex-wife believed God wanted to restore her marriage, but eventually she too remarried. But, to this day she still wonders, “what if.” Did we quit praying and believing because everything we saw told us, “it’s dead”? Did we give up before Jesus reached the house? Did distractions along the way make us question the length of time it seemed to take? Did we lack the faith it would take on the journey? Maybe.
Years later I am in a new battle with a friend whose husband has wandered away from his marriage and family. She ran with steps full of faith and purpose, searching for Jesus and fell before Him, begging Him to restore what was dying. There have been distractions and stops along the way, but she continues walking, day by day with Jesus, heading towards the house. She asked others to join her journey and walk with her, and many did. But after hearing words of death, she has chosen a few to continue on the journey with her, as she faithfully listens to Jesus reminding her along the way, "Do not be afraid; only believe” (vs.36). When our eyes see death and words scream dead we must remember one thing. God’s not.
Jairus was a desperate man. Fear must have been consuming him. Have you ever found yourself in a crisis, consumed by fear, desperate for help? When Jairus was faced with his crisis, he went searching for Jesus. Have you searched for Jesus?
Jairus’ steps towards Jesus were full of faith and purpose and “when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly”(Mark 5:22) to come with him. Jairus wasn’t afraid to ask Jesus to come with him, nor was he intimated by the crowds; he simply fell at his feet and begged Jesus to come. And “Jesus went with him…”(vs. 24). Have you fallen at the feet of Jesus and begged Him earnestly to come with you back to the place where your crisis dwells?
Jairus began the walk with Jesus “… and a great multitude followed Him …” (vs. 24). Jesus and Jairus didn’t begin the journey alone; others followed. Invite those around you to walk beside you as you journey, with Jesus, towards the healing of your crisis. Ask others to join you in prayer, seeking Him on your behalf.
And then the true test of faith came as they were on their way and Jesus encounters a woman seeking healing from her own issue which caused a delay in reaching the daughter. It was “while He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further’” (Mark 5:35, NKJV)? Can you imagine the pain that sliced through Jairus’ heart from hearing those words? She is dead. You are too late. Why bother? I wonder if Jairus was thinking, “Why did You stop, Jesus? If we had just hurried, maybe we could have saved her.” While we are on our journey with Jesus to the healing place of our crisis, Jesus might have us stop along the way to help others who are in a crisis of their own. It’s ok. God is not concerned that He will be too late. Ever. He is always right on time.
Words that stung. Words that crushed. Words Jairus had tried to prevent from his hearing came flooding into his ears. She is dead. But, “as soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, ‘Do not be afraid; only believe’” (vs.36). Jesus heard the words of “some” too, but He spoke differently to Jairus. He told Jairus to not fear, but believe. Maybe this is what Jairus heard in the words of Jesus; “Don’t fear what you have heard, just believe in Me.” “Believe in my power.” “Believe in the One, standing next to you; the One that you came earnestly seeking the healing from.” Maybe these words are the ones Jesus wants us to hear when we are facing our own crisis and others speak words of death over our situation. Words like; “Why are you bothering Jesus with this prayer?” “Why are you still trusting God to heal this situation; why can’t you just move on?” Wow. I am forced to ask myself how many victories have been stolen from me because I heard “dead”, gave in to doubt and then quit walking with Jesus to the place where the resurrection would happen.
It was at this moment that Jesus “permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James” (vs. 37). He hushed the voices that believed what they heard- death had won, and took with Him those who had the faith to believe He wasn’t done yet. As time marches on and what we see with our natural eyes speaks death rather than life, we need to grab on to the three people around us that have the faith Peter, James and John had. They had the faith to continue the walk to Jairus’ house because they knew what Jesus was capable of. Who has the faith to walk with you all the way to the house because they understand what Jesus can do?
When Jesus arrived at the house, He was greeted by grief and ridiculed when He told them the girl was not dead, she was asleep, but “He took the child by the hand, and said to her, ‘Talitha, cumi,’ which is translated, ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise’” (vs. 41). There will be those around us who will grieve over our crisis; they will grieve what appears to be dead. There will be some who will ridicule our belief that God’s not dead and God’s not done, but just like those in the room of the little girl were “overcome with great amazement” when she “arose and walked,” maybe those who grieve and ridicule will do the same.
Several years ago I sought Jesus in desperation on behalf of a friend whose husband had asked her for a divorce. It was a total shock to both Pat and I, as well as to our family. This was a divorce no one saw coming. The husband had been involved in an affair and decided to choose the mistress over the family. I met Jesus, “fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly” to save this marriage. Pat and I confronted the man, comforted the wife and consoled the kids while continually crying out to the Lord for healing and restoration. And when the divorce was final and he remarried, we quit. We gave it a good shot, right? It was worth a try, right? His ex-wife believed God wanted to restore her marriage, but eventually she too remarried. But, to this day she still wonders, “what if.” Did we quit praying and believing because everything we saw told us, “it’s dead”? Did we give up before Jesus reached the house? Did distractions along the way make us question the length of time it seemed to take? Did we lack the faith it would take on the journey? Maybe.
Years later I am in a new battle with a friend whose husband has wandered away from his marriage and family. She ran with steps full of faith and purpose, searching for Jesus and fell before Him, begging Him to restore what was dying. There have been distractions and stops along the way, but she continues walking, day by day with Jesus, heading towards the house. She asked others to join her journey and walk with her, and many did. But after hearing words of death, she has chosen a few to continue on the journey with her, as she faithfully listens to Jesus reminding her along the way, "Do not be afraid; only believe” (vs.36). When our eyes see death and words scream dead we must remember one thing. God’s not.
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