On the other side of the lake the crowds welcomed Jesus, because they had been waiting for Him.Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with Him to come home with him. His only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying. As Jesus went with him, He was surrounded by the crowds.
[A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, [having spent everything she had on doctors] and she could find no cure. Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of His robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped. “Who touched Me?” Jesus asked. Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against You.” But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched Me, for I felt healing power go out from Me.” When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of Him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched Him and that she had been immediately healed. “Daughter,” He said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” ]
While He was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.” But when Jesus heard what had happened, He said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed.” When they arrived at the house, Jesus wouldn’t let anyone go in with Him except Peter, John, James, and the little girl’s father and mother. The house was filled with people weeping and wailing, but He said, “Stop the weeping! She isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” But the crowd laughed at Him because they all knew she had died. Then Jesus took her by the hand and said in a loud voice, “My child, get up!” And at that moment her life returned, and she immediately stood up! Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were overwhelmed, but Jesus insisted that they not tell anyone what had happened.
Luke 8:40-56
Before we look at each story separately let’s look at both together. Together they form a story sandwich. One account is the bread and the other is the filling. Well actually the fill in. The story of Jairus’ daughter is the bread and the woman with women’s problems is the filling. I have coloured the filling pink for obvious unmentionable reasons. This is a remarkable combo for numbers of reasons. It is also interesting for reasons I skipped over yesterday. On the other side of the lake people got upset for no reason at all. On this side of the lake people didn’t get upset when they had perhaps valid reasons to be upset or miffed. It is quite a remarkable contrast which can sure teach us a thing or two.
We all have our priorities and urgent needs but how many times are we willing to put aside our urgent matters for the sake of someone else. How many times do we lose it when things less trivial than the loss of “our daughter” are pressing in? Someone as important as Jairus could have insisted on his own way. One the other side of the lake everyone was insisting on their own way, protecting their patch. Here is a man who could easily have got upset at this woman whose interference robbed him of his daughter. But amazingly he doesn’t. There is no hint in the text that Jairus was upset by this. Imagine your feelings if this moment had been yours? They come and tell you “it’s no use troubling the teacher now because the moment has passed. Your daughter is dead and it’s too late.” Imagine all the what ifs going through his mind at that time. Maybe he made no response because Jesus didn’t give him time to make a response.
And all because “this woman” came along and took his turn. It truly is an amazing story. Stop and think for a moment on another perspective on this story. Our priorities are all time oriented. The mere fact that we have priorities is because of time. We need to prioritize because we don’t have enough time to do everything in time. That’s what priorities are all about. Scheduling the important over the urgent. But have you ever stopped to consider that Jesus, as God, stands outside of time. Time is never an issue with Jesus – then or now! He always has time and things always get done in His time. He makes all things beautiful in His time.
I feel inspired to add another element to this Gem. I want to take you back to Joshua 3 where the Israelites are crossing the Jordan. There is a serious lesson there on the timing of God’s answers to prayer. It is seems appropriate to include it today. The text of Joshua says “The priests will carry the Ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall.” Joshua 3:13 I think most of us think the moment that happened it would have been an incredible blessing and confirmation to them to see God was true to His word. Their feet hit the water and the waters were parted. They would have seen it all happening and been amazed. Would they? Look at the following verses:
But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan.
Joshua 3:15-16
A look at a good atlas will show you Adam is about 25 km from the Ford of Jericho! When all this action took place above, the priests and the people didn’t SEE anything. The action was taking place 25 km away. How fast was the water traveling? I don’t know. But if it was going at a 100 kph it would have taken 15 minutes for all the water in between them to flow past before they saw dry ground. Isn’t that amazing. Isn’t that the point. So many times God has ALREADY ANSWERED your prayer. You just don’t see the answer yet because He is not working according to your time frame. Remember He stands outside of time. We however are limited by time. We are creatures trapped in time.
All of Jairus’ disappointment, and you can bet he had some even though we are not told about it, was by virtue of his perception of time and the perceived priorities. Time was not an issue for God and it never is. He stands outside of time and does all things in His time not ours. A major lesson to learn. Jairus learned it that day.
Next Gem we will look in detail at the story of Jairus’ daughter. Then in the following Gem we will look at the woman with constant bleeding for 12 YEARS. (You can bet it was a time issue for her.) More to come in case you want to do some digging before I mess up the hole.)
The bad news is, time flies. The good news is God is the pilot!
Ian Vail
How do you fulfil destiny? One day at a time, one assignment at a time, one act of obedience at a time.
Wendy Treat
The kingdom of God is not in the future, it is now – it’s like time travel, except that the future is brought into the present.
Tim Keller
Waiting is not just something we have to do until we get what we want. Waiting is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be.
John Ortberg
Delays are not refusals; many a prayer is registered, and underneath it the words: “My time is not yet come.”
Anon
God has a set time as well as a set purpose, and He who orders the bounds of our habitation orders also the time of our deliverance.
Anon
Killing time is not murder, it’s SUICIDE!
Rick Godwin