But Jesus ignored their comments and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just trust me.” Mark 5:36 (LB)
Jairus, the leader of the local synagogue, came to Jesus for help. His twelve year old daughter was at the point of death and she needed a miracle.
It’s interesting Jairus would turn to Jesus. Most synagogue leaders saw Jesus as an adversary. When you think synagogue you think Sabbath. You think Jewish customs and traditions. You remember Sunday morning headlines: Jesus breaks Sabbath!
The Jewish leaders were intent on discrediting Jesus. Sabotaging His ministry. Even plotting His death.
But Jairus was desperate. His daughter was dying. Doctors couldn’t help. There was no medicine, no further treatment. So he swallowed his pride and turned to Jesus.
It must have been humbling. How, he wonders, will Jesus respond? What will Jesus say? “Hey. Don’t I know you? Yeah. You’re the leader of the synagogue. You’re the guy who tried to throw me headlong off a cliff the other day.”
“Who, me? Oh, that’s a guy who looks a lot like me. I get that all the time.”
But in desperation, he humbly asked Jesus to come and heal his little girl. Forget the past. Forget the differences of theology. He had a problem and only Jesus had the solution.
Thankfully, Jesus responded the way he does with all who turn to him with a broken and contrite heart. In His mercy, He offered to heal the little girl.
But then the text message came through, “It’s too late. The girl is dead.”
Jesus told Jairus, “Ignore it. Put it on vibrate. The girl will live. Trust me on this.”
And Jesus touched the girl and she sprang to her feet, alive and well.
So, what is the application? How does this apply to us today?
There may be things we no longer trust God for. Things we have given up trusting him for. We hear the words, “the girl is dead” and we become discouraged and give up.
Today, Jesus is saying, “Ignore the detractors. Don’t believe the circumstances. Things are not always as they appear. Trust me on this one.”
O God, forgive us for the times our faith has wavered. Forgive us for our lack of trust. You have always proven yourself faithful and you will continue to be faithful until the end. Amen.
Some things you can do today:
- Think of something in your life that has died; a dream, a goal. Now ask God to renew your vision and restore it to life.
- Begin to trust Him for the answer. Don’t focus on the circumstances - they will pull you down. Look to Jesus - He will lift you up.
November 20, 2006 at 9:29 am
Great thoughts again today Del,
May I sneak a sliver of a thought into today’s encouragement? My Morning Watch-Extended Session had me in the first part of John 15 yesterday.
I agree with you that we’re prone to give up on while the Lord is saying “Hold on now, you’re getting ahead of Me again. I still have something in mind, child.” Those are the things you’re thinking of, right?
There are other things that the Master Gardener has deftly pruned away in the interest of greater fruit. (verse 2) We need to be willing to release those things, knowing He has MORE-fruit in mind. To ask for those things will bring His quiet “sorry, but no”.
Likewise, when we’re drawing everything we need and want from Him (“remaining in Him” verse 7 calls it), we can ask with surprising confidence. I think that confidence is at its best when we’re sure we’re seeing life as He does, and are letting Christ be everything.
The branch simply calls for everything it needs from the Vine. Pretty amazing concept! The Gardener (vinedresser) prunes in the interest of “most-fruit/best-fruit”. Later he strips leaves away so the sun and breezes can get to the fruit in the interest of “sweetest-fruit”.
It’s a delicate balance, isn’t it?
Praying believing and living yielded.
No wonder we need a lifetime to get this right!
Phil—