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Remember his strength
Remember his strength – Day 11
Frank Retief

Remember his strength – Day 11

Where is Jesus when I need him?

Bible text(s)

Mark 5

36Jesus paid no attention to what they said, but told him, “Don't be afraid, only believe.”

Mark 5:36GNBOpen in Bible reader

Mark 5

22Jairus, an official of the local synagogue, arrived, and when he saw Jesus, he threw himself down at his feet 23and begged him earnestly, “My little daughter is very ill. Please come and place your hands on her, so that she will get well and live!”

24Then Jesus started off with him. So many people were going along with Jesus that they were crowding him from every side.

25There was a woman who had suffered terribly from severe bleeding for twelve years, 26even though she had been treated by many doctors. She had spent all her money, but instead of getting better she got worse all the time. 27She had heard about Jesus, so she came in the crowd behind him, 28saying to herself, “If I just touch his clothes, I will get well.”

29She touched his cloak, and her bleeding stopped at once; and she had the feeling inside herself that she was healed of her trouble. 30At once Jesus knew that power had gone out of him, so he turned round in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

31His disciples answered, “You see how the people are crowding you; why do you ask who touched you?”

32But Jesus kept looking round to see who had done it. 33The woman realized what had happened to her, so she came, trembling with fear, knelt at his feet, and told him the whole truth. 34Jesus said to her, “My daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your trouble.”

35While Jesus was saying this, some messengers came from Jairus' house and told him, “Your daughter has died. Why bother the Teacher any longer?”

36Jesus paid no attention to what they said, but told him, “Don't be afraid, only believe.” 37Then he did not let anyone else go on with him except Peter and James and his brother John. 38They arrived at Jairus' house, where Jesus saw the confusion and heard all the loud crying and wailing. 39He went in and said to them, “Why all this confusion? Why are you crying? The child is not dead — she is only sleeping!”

40They laughed at him, so he put them all out, took the child's father and mother and his three disciples, and went into the room where the child was lying. 41He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha, koum,” which means, “Little girl, I tell you to get up!”

42She got up at once and started walking around. (She was twelve years old.) When this happened, they were completely amazed. 43But Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone, and he said, “Give her something to eat.”

Mark 5:22-43GNBOpen in Bible reader

The story in Mark 5:22-43 is full of interesting and mysterious things. Jesus is approached by a troubled and anxious father to heal his eleven-year-old daughter. This man, Jairus, was neither an enemy nor a critic of our Lord. He was simply a father, although, he had great standing in the community because he was one of the rulers of the local synagogue.

We read that Jesus went with him but on the way, he was delayed by another person with great personal needs. The woman who stopped him, enroute to the young girl, had suffered for years with a bleeding condition. We can only imagine what that must have meant for her physically, psychologically and socially because she would have been considered unclean, and conjugally – if she was married at all – her husband would most likely have disowned her. Therefore, Jesus stops to deal with her and help her.

Meanwhile, imagine the family waiting for Jesus with great anxiety. Does he not know how serious their daughter’s condition is? Why does he not come at once? Why does he allow himself to be delayed?

How often have we felt like that? Our personal circumstances have taken a bad turn and in desperation, we have called out to the Lord. However, nothing seems to happen. Then, the news arrives that the girl had died. Jesus ignores the messengers and urges the family to have faith! Faith in what? Faith in fate or in medicine or in the unknown, or what? No, it is faith in HIM. By trusting him, they are saying, “We believe that you come from God. We believe you have all power in heaven and earth. Although we do not understand all your ways, we know you not only know best, but will do what is right and in alignment with your purposes.”

As we know, the story ends well. The young girl is healed and the family is comforted.

Does this mean that there will always be healing for us or that every crisis will be resolved satisfactorily? No! What this great story tells us, is that there will come a day when Jesus will “wake” us all up from the grave and in that new world, which he will bring with him, there will be no more death, sickness and sorrow.

Of course, this story also tells us how compassionate our Lord is with us all, here and now! We may certainly bring our sorrows and anxieties to him. However, remember the little girl died first before she was raised to life and so too with us. Our circumstances may not seem to change much outwardly, in fact, they may even seem worse. In other words, somehow for us it seems that the worst that can happen seems to happen first, with no intervention from the Lord.

Nevertheless, he who has authority and power over all things seen and unseen, is still in control of your circumstances if you belong to him.

His word to you is, “Don’t be afraid. Just believe.” Believe not in the mystical power of faith, as many superstitious people do, but believe in him, his love for you, proven by his death on the cross, and believe that he is in control of your life and working all things out for the best, and for his own ultimate glory. Whatever conclusion there is to your personal dilemma, sad or happy; you are never out of his hands, never cut off from his care and never outside of his purposes.

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