While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?" Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe." He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.
Mark 5:35-37 NIV
Interesting things to note in this passage. Jairus had gotten to Jesus first – before the woman with the issue of blood. His matter was urgent – his daughter was dying. Jesus the Healer stopped to heal a woman of great focus – she was focused on one thing – the hem of His garment (actually the tzitzit of the tallit, more commonly known as the prayer shawl). This focus on Him produced in her great faith. Faith which is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for – the EVIDENCE of things not seen. Twelve years and having already spent all her money hoping to be healed, she focused her faith on Him and was healed and made whole.
Scripture tells us while Jesus was still speaking to the woman, THEY said to the man who had walked in faith to find Jesus and bring Him back to heal his daughter, Your daughter is dead… don’t bother Jesus any more. That’s what THEY said.
What did Jesus do? He ignored what THEY said and spoke directly to Jairus. Don't be afraid; just believe. And then notice, Jesus did NOT let everyone follow Him to the house. When He got there (vvs 38b-40) Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. What did He do? He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him. THEY laughed at Him. So what did Jesus do? Read the next verse. He put them all out of the house. He was not going to tolerate unbelief and lack of faith – THEY-sayers don’t even have the right to see the miracle that faith wrought.
I’ve heard quite a few stories in the last week – situations that call for tough faith! Immoveable, unshakeable - the kind that requires our focus to be totally on Christ and not on what THEY are saying. The kind that requires us to look to Him and Him only and believe what HE says. Faith that requires a select few to stand with you, true followers of Jesus, who stand believing with you. Faith which has substance to it that can produce the evidence of things not yet seen.
I don’t care what the doctors say. I don’t care about the statistics that did not come from the Word of God. I don’t care if THEY laugh and roll their eyes. THEY laughed at Jesus, too – and THEY missed it! I don’t care what THEY say or do. Romans 3:3-4a reads, For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. What did Jesus do?
Was He moved by what They said? Was He moved by what He saw with His physical eyes? If your faith isn’t quite that strong, will you be like the father in Mark 9:24 who instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”
Prayer:
Father,
You alone are the Truth in our lives. Cause our roots to go deep in You so we can stand through the storms of life and having done all, continue to stand on Your Word. We pray in the Name that is ABOVE everything that is named – above cancer, above MS, above leukemia, above MDS, above diabetes, above depression. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen
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