(Audio)
Most of us don't have faith as strong at that of Jairus the official. He has every reason to despair, but instead he desperately holds onto hope in Jesus.
“My daughter has just died.
But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
Jairus learned the truth of prayer about which Thomas Merton wrote, "Prayer and love are learned in the hour when prayer becomes impossible and the heart has turned to stone". It was this same sort of steadfast hope that characterized the woman suffering hemorrhages. After twelve years most of us would have given up. Most of us would too disappointed by the repeated failures of the doctors of this world and simply stopped hoping. Twelve years is a long time to continue to hope, especially in the faith frequent disappointment.
She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.”
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
“Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.”
And from that hour the woman was cured.
Jesus had a plan for the woman that extended beyond her twelve years of suffering. He had a plan for Jairus's daughter that extended beyond these first twelve years of her life. But to proceed beyond the sufferings of this world, beyond the natural limitations of the flesh, only faith sufficed. The Law could not give those who suffered the life and healing they desired. Neither could the best medicine. Together with all of the Twelve tribes, these two had to wait for the one who could bring those things to completion.
When Jesus did come Jairus and the woman sensed that there was something different about him. There was a power in Jesus that enabled him to do what no one else could, that made hope worth having where otherwise there would have only been cause for despair.
The trouble for us is that we have learned to take Jesus for granted. We're used to him, or so we think. We assume that healings are rare, and that, if they do happen, they probably won't happen to us. When we fail to acknowledge the power of Jesus over the body we implicitly weaken our belief in what he can do in our spirits.
he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.”
And they ridiculed him.
Our thoughts are those of the professional mourners who refuse to see things any other way than from the vantage point of worldly despair. Indeed we are invested in seeing things this way. We must let Jesus drive these thoughts from us. He can show us how to cast down every argument that sets itself against the knowledge of God (see Second Corinthians 10:5)
When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand,
and the little girl arose.
There really is new life waiting to be revealed in each one of us. Jesus really does want to stop our life from flowing out of us uselessly, sapping our strength to no purpose. He is the Divine Physician whose healing touch can make all things new. If faith as strong as that is difficult for us let us at least try to touch the hem of his robe, if not his hand. Let us at least allow him to cast out the mourners and enter into our sorrow himself.
I will allure her;
I will lead her into the desert
and speak to her heart.
What might we find if we simply give Jesus a chance and the room to reveal himself? He is interested in something even more permanent and beautiful than the healings of the woman and the girl. The LORD, who is gracious and merciful, desires to give life, life in abundance, life that will last forever.
I will espouse you in fidelity,
and you shall know the LORD.
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