Mark 5: 23 Jairus, a wealthy ruler of the synagogue, fell at Jesus feet in this city of Capernaum, asking Jesus to come lay His Hands on his sick 12-year-old Daughter.
Meanwhile there's another daughter in Mark 5:29, a desperate woman who had suffered much under may physicians who came just to touch His Garment to be healed. "Daughter, your faith has made you well, go in peace..."
What an odd response in verse 35 when someone from the Ruler's house informed the father that his daughter was dead. They said: Why trouble the Teacher any further? How sad. Do we take that kind of party line in our discerning the events of the day. Don't need to bother Jesus with this one. Not anything He can or will do about it. Verse 36 is a verse that has carried this Desperate Daughter over the past decades. "Do not fear, only believe." The tense in the Greek is progressive---Keep On Believing, no matter what! Speaks to deep places in my heart.
They had a long daily walk around the Sea of Galilee to the Ruler of the synagogue's home. What did they talk about? What did the ruler think knowing his daughter was already dead. Jesus carried the Ruler and the Ruler's story in his breaking heart around the calm sea. They arrived to find chaos, commotion, crying at the Ruler's home. Taking the daughter by the hand, Jesus said: "Arise" and the Greek means to "stir oneself up" "to wake up" "to become alive." Stir myself up, O God please help! And the word in the Greek means to rise from that which is dead. That's it. I Cor 15:31 says that I die daily. And my God is raising me up from what is so dead in my life. And immediately this daughter got up and became alive.
Two dead daughters over the past 12 years. One facing her own death, trapped in a body not cooperating. Another daughter suddenly dead.
What would it look like for me to keep on believing in the midst of my own present darkness? Arise, o my soul. Arise from my dark, dead places in my life and give us life. Carry me, Sweet Jesus, to the One Who Gives Life.
Do not fear, only believe! Such healing and faith in these verses today! And here it is again for me: don't fear, just believe. Maybe it really is that simple.
ReplyDelete"But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth." I know He already knows, but it sure does help to fall down before Him and tell Him our story.
ReplyDeleteThis is huge!
ReplyDelete22 "Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet
23 and implored him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live."
24 And he went with him.
A ruler of the synagogue...CLEAN...righteous by the Law.
And then a woman with an issue of blood that just could not be healed...UNCLEAN...unworthy...hopeless.
One goes daily to the temple.
One is refused.
Clean.
Unclean.
Both come by simple FAITH.
And Jesus met both needs.
Christ offerred both of them GRACE. Clean and unclean.
Christ came to save sinners.
Luke 4:18-19
The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Matthew 5:17
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
Who do I need to show GRACE to today?
I love how the Message recorded the story today:
ReplyDeleteMark 5: 32-34--..,"The woman, knowing what had happened, knowing she was the one, stepped up in fear and trembling, knelt before him, and gave him the whole story.
34Jesus said to her, "Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed! Be healed of your plague."
Faith is a risk, it is like just falling back and letting Jesus catch us.
Belief is trust that our faith will be upheld by His promise.
How much better our lives will be when we just have faith, believe, and with belief,trust. It is only then we will truly begin to live.
I am that woman, covered with unclean blood of my sins, the one who touched His robe in faith. He has healed my heart, my life.
I have been healed and go forth in faith, living well, living blessed.
Internet woes ----
ReplyDeleteI apologize but our internet was turned off for a couple of days this week but we're
b---a---c---k.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
At the same time, Bob left his cell in the rain (doesn't work anymore) AND my cell charger broke so we were the pioneer husband and wife with zero communication to the world. All back to normal except Bob's cell---buried.
Thanks for understanding.
Just so ecstatic to see the 4 of you here this morning. Dark places in me say---they won't come back here. I'm in a pool of healed tears over here. This reading today is one life verse that has hunted me down my Christian life and I'm still so shaken and held by it. Like warmth, a white-hot heated blanket, thrown over this freezing unthawed shaking soul. I'll share tomorrow why the demoniac story followed by desperate daughters invades me so---it's my life story...demons and desperation and deliverance. O, Sweet Savior!
ReplyDeleteWriting with a lone tear running down my right cheek for each of you, my loves.
Bev, Did you receive my text? I saw you had phone issues. I'm just praising God you are able to do what you do so well in posting each day.
ReplyDeleteSo good to see your comments. This is a Song I must Sing. Sylvia
As I read each of your comments I have no more to add than "Fear Not" Jesus loves me. Yes, an unconditional love as I grow deeper in my faith walk.
ReplyDeleteThank each of you for blessing me with your thoughts.
This is a Song I must sing,Sylvia