Mark 5:21-43-God’s Power: Our Patience-5/3/15
Here is another example of Jesus reaching out to the hopeless, the downtrodden, those that many of us would often pass by if we saw them.
This healing story teaches us about faith, about hope, and really about patience.
We first meet Jarius who was the leader of the local Jewish synagogue, who had close ties to leaders who were probably against Jesus.
So Jarius has a choice to make. Keep his friends and the status quo and risk losing his daughter who is near death, or upset the apple cart, throw his lot in with Jesus as hope the Lord can and will save her.
In a way, it is a choice we all must make. Stick to the safe and familiar or jump to the Son of God and trust Him to save.
When suddenly, Jesus stops and the crowd stops, and Jesus asks, “who touched me?” And it says who, this woman who had a condition for twelve years, who not only suffered the ailment, but seemed to also suffer from the cures!
And here, she thinks “if I just touch His cloak, I’ll be healed.” It is a small act of faith.
This is an example that shows that it is not the amount of faith you have that matters as much as Who you have your faith in.
The amount of faith you have can vary, but the amount of faith is not as important as WHO you are putting your faith in!
After all, you can have a beautiful mansion, but if it is built on a hollow foundation, it won’t last long.
On the other hand, a small house built on a strong foundation is always more secure.
It was a mustard-seed-sized trust in Jesus that led Jarius to seek Him out, that led this woman to reach out to Him, and all it takes is a mustard-sized faith to move mountains
This woman’s healing was complete, not only did was she healed physically, but was healed spiritually.
She became a believer, and thus was healed of the soul, and saved from sin, all from that small act of trust. This woman teaches us another lesson.
Sometimes we all feel like our problems will keep us away from God, but He is always ready to help, don’t let fear or anything else, stop you from coming to Him. God wants the relationship with you, and it just takes you saying “yes” to Him
So now that the woman is healed, both physically and spiritually, let us go back to the other person, Jarius’ daughter. While all this is happening, Jarius gets the news he feared worst of all. “She’s gone, she’s dead. Don’t bother Jesus anymore.
Yet in this midst of this storm, this punch in the gut Jarius just got, Jesus says to him the same thing He says to all of us.
“Don’t be afraid. Just trust me”-Jesus is saying to Jairus, “trust me, be patient, there is no need to hurry”
Patience is love for the long haul, working hard and not giving up, holding up, delaying gratification, and not lashing out when it’s not instant.
There may be a reason God is delaying in answering your prayers. It may be to perform something even more grand that is the better way for you.
Remember friends, when you go to Jesus for help, you get from him far more than you had in mind, and you also end up giving Him far more than you had expected.
Jairus had to give more than he thought.
He came to Jesus with faith for a healing, Jesus wants Him to have that mustard-seed sized faith that will grow into a mighty tall bush, he wants that faith that will grow and recognize Jesus as having the power over death itself.
To have faith even at the eleventh hour. To trust God when you are up the creak, not even without a paddle, but without even a boat. That faith takes practice.
It is to get up say, Yes Lord I’m still going to trust you. If you go to Jesus, he may ask of you more than you think, but he can give you more than you ever dared to dream of as well. This is what we see when the daughter is raised.
Jesus is saying by his actions, “if I have you by the hand, death itself is nothing but sleep” Let Jesus take you by the hand and lead you through all your struggles. When you truly ponder his goodness, why hurry the Master?
He holds you tightly and brings you through the greatest darkness. Don’t ever let the problems you face or your brokenness stop you from coming to Jesus to be healed. Give it all to Him, and wait patiently. He has you by the hand, and will never let go. Amen