The Long Wait

“God’s timing is not our timing.” We have probably all heard that sentence, sometimes used to comfort; often it may just be frustrating.

Here we see it played out in a life and death drama. Jesus is on his way to Jairus’ house to tend to his dying daughter. The bleeding woman who is healed by her faith and her touch of Jesus’ clothing interrupts Jesus on the way there.

Jesus pauses in his journey with Jairus long enough to address the woman, hear her story, and bless her. That could have taken a few moments, moments too precious to lose for Jairus who receives the tragic news that his daughter has died in the meantime.

I wonder if he felt frustrated with Jesus?

There are echoes in this story of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in John 11, when Martha says, “Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Yet, in both of those situations, Jesus’ power was demonstrated in incomparable ways, by raising Lazarus and the 12-year-old daughter of Jairus from the dead. His timing was perfect, for everyone concerned, but primarily for inspiring worship and awe of God, and presumably drawing others closer to him.

We probably all have things that we have been asking of God for years. We wonder why he does not seem to hear, or answer in the way we would prefer. Trust is a decision. It can be hard to do. But, in this passage, we see that Jesus is on the way. And in the end, it will be to his glory, not our convenience.

Respond in Prayer

Thank you, God, for these accounts of your miraculous healing, a power even to bring the dead to life. We think of what is dead in our own lives: it may be our faith, our trust in you, our confidence in the church, or in others, and we ask you to bring it back to life. We trust you. Help us to trust you. Amen.

Carla Anne Coroy