A Dad Named JairusSample

Jairus: A Desperate Man

Jairus lived a very long time ago in the village of Capernaum. Capernaum was a fishing village located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was a fairly small village of about 1,500 to 3,000 people. At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus moved to Capernaum.

Jairus was a leader in the synagogue. The Bible does not tell us his full name, what he looked like, or what he did from day to day. It just tells us the essentials of the story: Jairus was a dad and his 12 year old daughter was dying.

What would you do if you were in Jairus’s shoes? Jairus was a prominent man but his prominence could not help his daughter. We don’t know what steps Jairus had already taken for his daughter but I think this dad did everything he could to save his daughter’s life and nothing he did worked.

Now Jesus was living in his village. People were talking about Jesus. There were stories of Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding and of Him healing many people. Jairus set out to find Jesus. Amid dusty streets, camels, and donkeys, a crowd had gathered. Jairus knew that Jesus had to be at the center of the crowd. As he strained to see, there He was. Jesus was right there in front of him.

In Mark 5: 22, 23, we read, “When he saw Jesus, he fell at His feet, pleading fervently with Him. ‘My little daughter is dying,’ he said. ‘Please come and lay your hands on her, heal her so she can live.’”

Jairus was desperate. He loved his daughter, she was dying, and he was helpless.

Have you ever been in a desperate situation? Have you ever tried everything you know to do and nothing worked? I have. I have tried to figure out things on my own until my brain literally hurt. Then I remember that Jesus is in town and like Jairus I can go to Him. Jairus fell in front of Jesus in the flesh. I fall on my knees in front of the one who will never leave me or forsake me.

Jesus is always there for us. We can literally take everything to Him. He cares for us and loves us more than we can ever imagine. For me, Jesus needs to be my first resort and not my last. Why would I try to do things myself when I have the Creator of the universe always there for me? I need to do what Jairus did. I need to ask!

Today’s Challenge: Who do you go to when you are at the end of your rope?

Going Deeper:

1. Jairus lived over 2,000 years ago. What are some ways that you identify with him?
2. Spend some time thinking about how much God loves you. For me, it is hard to get my mind around it. It is the best news ever.
3. What do you want to ask God for today?