Storms and demons. Nothing could stand against the Almighty. In one hand He brought victory, in the other He brought freedom. There was nothing greater than Him. He held the power of the Creator. As Jesus returned to the other side of the sea, He was met by Jairus, the leader of the synagogue.
“Please come quickly, my little girl is sick,” he pleaded. The news of Jesus’s healing power had spread throughout all of the neighboring provinces, this was no secret, and the heartbroken, desperate Jairus had come for help. “The doctors have tried everything, but she hasn’t responded. Please hurry, Jesus, she might die.”
As they rushed along the way, the masses thronged about Him. A woman with her own issues slinked through the mob, fighting to get within arm’s reach of the healer. As the crowd pushed and shoved along behind Jesus, she reached, but could only reach the edge of His robe. Immediately, the healing took place. She felt refreshed and revived as her disease fled away. But Jesus had felt it too. Instantly, He stopped. Turning to the crowd, He entreated the crowd so that she would reveal herself. Weeping, the woman, now healed, came from the crowd and fell at His feet confessing everything.
Jairus must have been thrilled at this demonstration of the power of Jesus. However, as they hurried down the streets towards his house, men with wet cheeks and long faces stopped Jesus and Jairus. “She’s gone. Your little girl is gone, Jairus.” In a dignified culture, the reaction that was to follow was anything but dignified. As the reality of death set into the mind of Jairus and pressed down on his soul, he reached for the collar of his tunic and grasping it with both hands began to pull with force to tear it in half.
“Stop. Don’t be afraid. Only believe.” Jesus felt the gravity of the moment, and comforted Jairus.
“She’s not dead, she’s just sleeping,” He said, as they entered the house. In the face of ridicule, Jesus had much to accomplish. Whether it was to bring her back to life, or to stop her at death’s door, Jesus had come to save this little girl’s life. “Talitha, cumi.” He spoke gently to the little girl, as if she were His own precious daughter. “Arise.” In amazement, both father and mother watched as their little girl sat up, healed and whole.
The storm, an army of demons, an ailment, and now death, there was nothing that could stop God. Jesus was God. He had come and had revealed Himself to all of mankind. And this was the beginning of His ministry. He had come to serve. He had come to set mankind free. The salvation that He brought with Him would be far greater than hushing some weather, or banishing a demon, or even giving life to the sick and dying. The salvation He was going to bring, brought with it a far greater, eternal hope.
Food For Thought: If Jairus was in such a hurry, why do you think that God allowed the woman with the ailment to stop Jesus?
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