While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Why bother the teacher any more?”
Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”
(verses 49-50)
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I remember back to Matthew’s account of this same event. He shortens the story considerably, presenting Jairus, from the very moment we meet him, as having death-confronting faith: “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her and she will live” (Matthew 9:18).
Luke tells us how the man got to that place of faith. It’s through the word of Jesus.
Jairus has faith enough to come in the first place to Jesus when his daughter is dying, steadily progressing to her grave. He’s desperate. Desperation propels him. Falling at Jesus’ feet, he pleads earnestly for the Master’s healing touch.
But the announcement from home, “Your daughter is dead,”threatens to kill what faith he’s got. This now slips into the realm of the impossible. Can faith survive?
Yes, it can, with the reviving impact of Jesus.
“Don’t be afraid,” he tells Jairus. This is one of the most familiar divine commands in scripture. Why? Because fear threatens to undo in our lives so much of what the Lord intends. Fear rises up to tell Jairus that hope, now pointless, will only lead to inevitable disappointment. Protect yourself, fear says, and let go of faith.
Jesus says otherwise. “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” What a powerful word in Jairus’ ear right at that very moment. The words pronouncing his daughters’ death are still ringing. Yet Jesus stills that echo, inviting ongoing faith. “Just believe.”
Jairus does. We know it from Matthew’s record. “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her and she will live.”Wow.
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Dear Lord Jesus, thank you that I am not alone in my faith. You are right here, cheering faith on, ready to speak the strengthening word when fear of disappointment rises up to quell what faith I have. Please make me sensitive to your voice, responsive to your word.
“Just believe.” Yes, Lord – I will.
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Reflect:
What prayer are you praying at the moment that most needs this strengthening encouragement to ‘just believe’? Pray, and press forward like Jairus.
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Photo by Katrina Wright on Unsplash
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