“Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe” Mark 5:36.
In his desperation he fell at Jesus’ feet imploring a healing for his girl. Wonder of wonders, Jesus came with him toward his house! All would be well!
This photo is of the synagogue in ancient Capernaum, Israel, where Jesus based his Galilean ministry from. The white stones are of a later synagogue built on the black basalt foundation of the synagogue where Jesus worshipped and performed miracles, including one of the most powerful life and death encounters which is found in three of the Gospels.
“Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe” Mark 5:36.
Jairus was an official in this synagogue. He represented the official religion of the town and as we know, organized religion wasn’t very hospitable to Jesus’ teaching. But Jairus and his wife had a big problem. They had only one daughter – 12 years old – and she was dying – no one could help her and already the professional mourners were keening at the house. In his desperation he fell at Jesus’ feet imploring a healing for his girl. Wonder of wonders, Jesus came with him toward his house! All would be well!
In the meantime, Jesus was surrounded by a crush of people in need, including a penniless widow with a long-time issue of blood. She poked through the crowd and touched Jesus’ garment and was healed. And now, while Jairus stood to the side wringing his hands, Jesus sought her out and spoke to her physical and spiritual healing.
Think about it – Jesus faithfully attended this synagogue. He would have known Jairus and probably his daughter as well. If Jesus was politically astute, he would have left the widow on her own and hurried to help the influential man and young daughter. But he seemed to be in no hurry – just as was the case when his good friend Lazarus died. This was not an issue of love – it was an issue of faith. He said as much to Jairus and then proceeded to raise his daughter from the dead.
In all of his life in the synagogue, study of the Old Testament and dutiful adherence to it, nothing touched Jairus spiritually like this encounter with Jesus. Suffering and need made him elemental and open to the Lord. Do you see yourself in this story? We can all be fine, but when health intrudes into our life, we are suddenly in need. Health is no respecter of persons – while the wealthy can afford the best care, still rich and poor alike get covid, cancer and heart disease. We are creatures of time and our prayers become urgent for help now! Why must I wait so long in the medical queue? Why are others rejoicing while I who have walked the gospel road for a long time sit here and wait? Will the Lord heal me or not? Why, Lord, do you delay?
Eugene Peterson said: “The language of prayer is forged in the crucible of trouble. When we can’t help ourselves and call for help, when we don’t like where we are and want out, when we don’t like who we are and want a change, we use primal language, and this language becomes the root language of prayer.”
In the end, Jesus calls us to faith – not faith in healing, but faith in Him. To trust that the Master knows what he is doing in my life. As is clear from the array of the scriptures, there are far deeper reasons for God’s intervention or God’s delay, and it is then we are called to trust the character of the one who loved us enough to die for us. We learn most in the time of struggle.
I love what Habakkuk said at the end of his book of prayers and complaints: “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines; though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. The Sovereign Lord is my strength…” (3:17-19).
Pastor Leon Throness
