DAY #61: March 2, 2009 - Mark 5:21-43

Sorry I am so late this morning to get this out. A little bit lazy today. In this passage, we see Jesus went back across the Sea of Galilee, probably landing back at Capernaum. As always, a large crowd gathered.

The synagogue was the local center of worship, and Jairus was a lay person elected as one of the leaders. Jairus held a position of high esteem in the town. For him to fall down before Jesus and plead for him to come heal his daughter was a significant and daring act of respect and worship.
We do not know the nature of the young girl’s sickness; apparently nothing had helped her and she would soon die. But Jairus remembered someone who could help—someone whose touch had healed many people in Capernaum.

When Jairus heard that Jesus had returned to Capernaum, he was among the crowd on the seashore. He asked for Jesus’ touch on his daughter, knowing that if Jesus were to come, his daughter would live. So Jesus went with him, with the curious crowd following along. In the crowd that pressed on Jesus was another person in need of divine help. A woman who had had a hemorrhage (that is, bleeding; this may have been a menstrual or uterine disorder) for twelve years. The bleeding caused the woman to be in a constant condition of ritual uncleanness (Leviticus 15:25-33).

She could not worship in the synagogue, and she could not have normal social relationships, for anyone who came into contact with her would also become unclean. Thus, the woman was treated almost as severely as a leper. She had suffered and become destitute in trying to get a cure. There was no hope for alleviating her suffering, until she heard about Jesus.


The woman worked her way through the crowd and came up behind Jesus. She knew she only had to touch his clothing and she would be healed. The moment the woman touched Jesus’ garment, the bleeding stopped. The disease that had weakened her body for years suddenly disappeared.

In the meantime, Jairus must have been exasperated; he was already in a hurry due to the severe illness of his daughter. No doubt the slow movement of the crowd was frustrating him. Then, of all things, Jesus stopped to ask a seemingly silly question. Little did Jairus know that through all these events, he would be learning a valuable lesson about Jesus’ power.

Jesus spoke to the woman in gentle words. She came for healing and received it. But she also received a relationship and peace with God himself because of her faith. Jesus explained that it was not his clothing that had healed her; rather, her faith in reaching out to the one person who could heal her had allowed that healing to take place. She not only had faith, but she had placed her faith in the right person. The disciples, no doubt, received a profound lesson in the value of planting seeds in even the most unlikely places. The crowd, while seeming to be nothing more than a hindrance on the way, held one pocket of “good soil” in whom Jesus planted a seed.

The time taken by Jesus to seek out and speak to the woman was too long for the sick little girl at Jairus’s house. During the delay, she died. The message was delivered to Jairus, undoubtedly calling him to come home. The opportunity for healing had passed, so the Teacher would no longer be needed. Death did not make Jesus too late, however; instead, it meant that Jesus would do an even mightier miracle.

He planned to raise this little girl from the dead—a sign to his disciples of his true mission, of his power, and as a harbinger of his own resurrection. So he left the crowd and nine of his disciples behind, followed Jairus, and took along Peter and James and John. The five men finally reached Jairus’s house, and the commotion of loud weeping and wailing filled the air. Such cries were customary at a person’s death.

Jesus took the girl’s father and mother and the three disciples who had come and went into an inner part of the house. Jesus had come to earth to conquer sin and death, and in this dramatic but quiet miracle, he would show his disciples that power. And two bereaved parents would receive back their beloved daughter.

Jesus did no incantations and spoke no magic words. He simply went to the girl’s bedside and held her hand. The fact that Jesus touched the girl’s hand would have amazed the proper synagogue leader and the disciples. Touching a dead body meant to become unclean. But Jesus had already dealt with a demon-possessed man and a woman with an incurable issue of blood and had touched and healed them. Touching the dead girl confirmed once again that compassion was more important than the letter of the law. Then Jesus spoke a simple command, “Get up, little girl!”


At Jesus’ touch and command, the dead child awoke as if from sleep, immediately standing up and walking around. The parents and the disciples were absolutely overwhelmed. Jesus then gave two further commands. First, he commanded them (that is, the parents and the three disciples) not to tell anyone what had happened. Jesus told them to be quiet because he was concerned for his ministry. He did not want to be known as just a miracle worker; he wanted people to listen to his words that would heal their broken spiritual lives.

Second, Jesus told them to give the girl something to eat. This is a good picture of Jesus’ compassion and his understanding of human needs. The girl would be hungry and should be fed. This command also revealed to the parents and disciples that the girl was completely restored—she was well enough to eat.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

I am awestruck by the power of Jesus to heal. I am humbled by His compassion for people and His willingness to not be driven by a schedule, but by the needs of others. Lord, continue to do a makeover of my heart and life. Make me more like you. Help me die to myself today.

"He must become greater; I must become less." John 3:30 (NIV)

PRAYER

Lord, there are so many folks in need of a healing touch. Healing of marriages, healing of families, healing of past hurts and old memories , healing of abuse, healing from past failures. Lord, be compassionate upon the people of COV. Have mercy upon them. Lord, meet their needs.

“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT)