A Dad Named JairusSample

Where is Jesus?

When we left Jairus yesterday, he was full of hope. He asked and Jesus said “Yes.” We don’t know a lot about Jairus's faith but at this point it looks strong and his belief was that Jesus would heal his daughter.

We don’t know much about her or the details of her illness. Maybe those details were left out for a reason. It did not matter what was wrong with her, Jesus could heal her. Jesus does not need to qualify what He can and cannot heal; He can heal anything and everything.

So now we see Jesus, His disciples, Jairus and the crowd all making their way to Jairus’s house. Then something odd happens: Jesus stops. He felt someone touch His clothes. We see in the telling of this same story in Luke 8:45,46, that Jesus immediately said, “Who touched me?” Everyone denied it, and Peter pointed out, “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.” Jesus knew someone had touched Him seeking healing.

Finally, a woman fell at His feet and said it was her; that she touched Jesus because she had an issue of bleeding for 12 years and longed for healing. Jesus told her that her faith had made her well.

If I were Jairus, I think my heart would have sunk. Time was of the essence and Jesus was busy identifying who it was that touched Him. I would have become impatient knowing that time was not on my daughter's side. Then Jairus’ worst fear came true. As Jesus was still talking to the woman, a messenger from Jairus' home brought word that his daughter had died. The messenger also said, “There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.” Jairus went from the mountain top to the valley in an instant. He had given it everything he had including finding Jesus but it was too late.

In Mark Chapter 9, another father approached Jesus asking him to deliver his son from an evil spirit. As Jesus asks the father about the boy, the father cries out, “I believe, help my unbelief!” This powerful prayer humbly confesses both faith and doubt. We want to trust Jesus, but our limited human perspective makes it hard to have unwavering faith. Even when we know He is able, our faith is imperfect.

I believe Jesus answers every prayer. It is just that He doesn't always answer it the way we want Him to or in the timeframe we want Him to. It is in those times that our faith can waiver. We can wonder, where is Jesus? Why is He waiting? Can He really do what we are asking Him to do? We don’t know what Jarius did next but his world had taken a big hit.

Today’s Challenge: Have you ever wondered where Jesus was when you were in a time of need? What were your thoughts?

Going Deeper:

• If Jesus is who He says He is, then He can do all He says He can do. What keeps you from embracing that truth?
• Pray this prayer every day: “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.”