And they laughed Him to scorn, knowing that she was dead; and He put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise! Luke 8:53-54
What grief and anguish tore Jairus’ heart as he received the news of his daughter’s death! If only he had left earlier to try to reach Jesus! If only he could have persuaded Jesus to hurry, to not be distracted by the woman who touched the hem of His robe, or be delayed by the density of the crowd!. But it was too late now! Or was it? Through his tear-dimmed eyes, Jairus could not help but notice that Jesus was still making his way to the stricken maiden’s bedside. Was there still something He could do? Jairus knew not to laugh with those who mocked Jesus’ claim that the girl was but sleeping. And when Jesus allowed him and his wife to accompany Him into the room where the lass lay, his heart beat faster with a ray of hope. Other than the three of His closest disciples, Jesus didn’t allow any others to see the miracle of the girl’s recovery.
The crowd that laughed at Jesus has a lot of company. Nobody today believes in miracles, not even some Christians, it seems. When things go bad, we just accept the ‘inevitable’ and forget that God can – and often will – intervene on our behalf. As a result, we give up our ringside seat to some exciting developments, when God comes in and blesses.
Maybe we need to be as desperate as Jairus was when he sought Jesus’ help for his sick girl. Only those of us with daughters can understand the urgency of his mission as he went to find the Healer and convince Him to come. Jairus’ devotion to his family and his faith in Jesus power were both very great. What a blessing he and his wife received when their precious daughter revived and arose from her sickbed! Are there things that are as important to us as a dying daughter? If we could understand the danger of lost souls around us, especially our loved ones, we might have the same urgency as Jairus. If we could grasp the peril of the Lord’s people and His Assembly in the face of the devil’s attacks, we might be more passionate in our prayers for preservation. Our urgency level can lead us to a faith that we need to see blessing.
Can Jesus heal daughters and broken hearts today? He surely can to those who trust His compassion and power! -Jim MacIntosh