35 While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?"
36 Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."
37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." 40 But they laughed at him.
After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.
Most assuredly, there are circumstances in our lives when we discover it more difficult to demonstrate great faith and trust than others. In our verses for today Jairus is experiencing just this. We must remember that our faith is built and strengthened one test or trial at a time as God proves Himself faithful and worthy to be trusted over and over again. The child of God rests soundly in the will of God no matter how hard the wind may blow. The will of God is the safest place on earth to be whether we comprehend this or not. The Prophet Isaiah tells us:
3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)
“God is God. Because He is God, He is worthy of my trust and obedience. I will find rest nowhere but in His holy will, a will that is unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what He is up to.” Elisabeth Elliot
We learn to trust as we are given the opportunity to trust. While Satan tempts us for evil - to get us to fall, God tests us for good – in an effort to ever increase our faith. Remember Scripture tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God, Who rewards those who earnestly seek Him:
6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Heb 11:6 (NIV)
“It’s the painful testings that hold the possibility of powerful testimony — and every trial is but steps in your triumphant march.” Ann Voskamp
I am reminded of Abraham when in faith God called him to lay his Isaac down. Surely every ounce of his being wanted to run in the other direction – abort the mission and cling steadfastly to his beloved. Yet in faith he chose the greater path believing what God had told him and because of this demonstration of faith Scripture tells us he was richly rewarded:
17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." 19 Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death. Heb 11:17-19 (NIV)
I find it interesting that Abraham’s trust was not void of reason or reckoning - and his faith was also credited to him as righteousness. Genesis tells us:
6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. Gen 15:6 (NIV)
God never calls us to blindly believe, just believe deeper, broader, and wider. Jairus was confident Jesus could heal the sick; certainly that was why he approached the Healer in the first place. He was not quite as sure, however, that our Lord could or would raise the dead.
We do not know if Jairus had had the privilege of experiencing much of Jesus and His ways before he came face to face with his trial. We are not made aware if he had been privy to have had as much history of God’s faithfulness in his life as Abraham brought to his test yet he had the enormous benefit of Jesus quite literally walking by his side. When the messengers come with the news that his daughter had died and not to bother the Healer any more, Jesus sweetly encourages him with the words: "Don't be afraid; just believe." Jairus had a choice. He could trust Jesus’ Word or he could cave – consider it hopeless - abort. When we are given a Word from the Lord we have the same options and opportunity to either go further still with the Master or remain in the lowlands.
Calling out His inner circle – His core team - Peter, James and John - they proceed to Jairus’ home. There they discover the noisy clamor of many mourners and wailers. Jesus rebukes the commotion proclaiming: “The child is not dead but asleep.” Lashing out with laughter and mockery mixed with jeers against our Lord, Jesus puts them out of the house. It is quite a picture is it not of the faithful getting to remain in close proximity with the Lord while the unbelieving are thrust outside missing the eyewitness of the miraculous. There are certain great advantages of faith.
The Healer speaks a Word and with His all-powerful hand raises the dead girl up. Immediately - of course - she begins walking around to the astonishment of the onlookers.
14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? Gen 18:14 (NIV)