#DailyDevotion Don’t Be Afraid. Only Believe

Mark 5:21–24,35-43 ²¹When Jesus had again crossed over in the boat to the other side of the sea, a large crowd gathered around Him by the seashore. ²²A synagogue leader by the name of Jairus came, and when he saw Jesus, he knelt at His feet ²³ and earnestly pleaded with Him: “My little daughter is dying. Come and lay your hands on her so she will get well and live.” ²⁴He went with him…³⁵While He was still talking, some men came from the home of the synagogue leader. “Your daughter died,” they said. “Why trouble the Teacher any more?” ³⁶Having heard what they said, Jesus told the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid! Only believe!” ³⁷He let only Peter, James, and John, the brother of James, go with Him. ³⁸So they came to the home of the synagogue leader. There He saw the noisy crowd, crying and wailing aloud. ³⁹ “Why do you make a noise and cry?” He asked them when He came into the house. “The child isn’t dead; she’s sleeping.” ⁴⁰ They laughed at Him. But He put them all outside, took the child’s father and mother and those who were with Him, and went in where the child was. ⁴¹ He took the child’s hand and said to her, “Talitha, koom!” which means, “Little girl, I tell you, get up!” ⁴²Immediately the girl got up and walked around. She was twelve years old. Then the others were utterly amazed. ⁴³He gave them strict orders not to let anyone know about this. And He told them to give her something to eat.

So this account of Jesus actually has yesterday’s account sandwiched in between these verses and I do believe those verses give meaning to these verses. In short, Jesus takes time to talk with the woman who had faith in him to heal her without Jesus even being asked and during that time Jairus’ daughter dies. The account though starts here with Jairus hearing about Jesus and begging him to come and heal his daughter. Jesus already starts to go, he is giving individual attention to Jairus to do what he asks. You can imagine Jairus’ thoughts though when Jesus stops to talk with this woman who received healing merely by touching the tassels on his garment and then while this delay is going on you hear your daughter has died. “Why did Jesus stop to talk with this woman? She already got what she wanted. If Jesus wouldn’t have stopped to talk with her my daughter wouldn’t have died.”

Now Jesus hears people telling Jairus to not to both him anymore since his daughter is dead. Jesus though will have nothing of it. “Don’t be afraid! Only believe!” Jesus says to Jairus. Jesus takes the three disciples and the parents of the child, takes her hand and tells her to get up and the child does. Was the child dead? I think so. Jesus was using the euphemism that Christians have used to describe our deaths, sleep. One day, Jesus is going to tell all of us to wake up and we will wake up from our sleep in the graves.

What can we get from this? Jesus cares about us individually. He shows that by how he leaves with Jairus to start off with. He shows it when he stops to talk to the woman who had faith in him. He shows it when he continues to Jairus’ house. Secondly, we need not fear because of Jesus. Instead he calls us to have faith in him. The woman received healing from Jesus without even asking for it. In faith she just took it. With faith in Jesus’ words Jairus continues into his daughters room. Faith in Christ in a mighty powerful thing. It overcomes our fears. It tells us that our Father in heaven cares for us and is working all things out for our good. Put your faith in Christ Jesus and you will see great things in the land of the living.

Heavenly Father, grant us such faith in Jesus that we do not fear but live trusting in your care for us and your good will towards us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.