According to Your Faith

After healing the daughter of Jairus and bringing her back to life, "Jesus departed from there" and "two blind men followed Him" (Matt. 9:27a). They kept "crying out and saying, 'Son of David, have mercy on us!'" (v. 27b).

"When He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him" (v. 28a). What house? I can't say definitively, but Jairus served in a synagogue and they were in the vicinity of Capernaum, so this is most likely the home of Peter, where Jesus usually stayed when in the area.

"Jesus said to them, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?'" (v. 28b). He was interested in what they believed. Did they know who He was and did they believe that He could restore their sight? "They said to Him, 'Yes, Lord'" (v. 28c). They did understand, and they believed! Belief is important in having your prayers heard and answered.

"Then He touched their eyes, saying, 'According to your faith let it be to you.' And their eyes were opened" (vv. 29-30a). Belief and faith go hand-in-hand. Jesus encouraged them to confess their faith in Him, but He was the one who healed. Their faith was important, but it did not heal them. Jesus healed them by the power of His grace.

Again, "Jesus sternly warned them, saying, 'See that no one knows it'" (v. 30b). As we have noted before, it is not yet time for a full revelation of who Jesus is. Yet, as usual, these two men pay no attention, but spread the news of their healing by Jesus to everyone who would listen "in all that country" (v. 31).

It is important to understand, as Jesus taught here, our faith is important in having our prayers heard and answered, but our faith does not answer our prayers, nor does faith heal us. Jesus does. By the power of His grace, Jesus answers prayers and heals. Amen.

Little Girl, Arise!

"When Jesus returned" from the region of the Gadarenes to the shores of the Sea of Galilee near the city of Capernaum, "the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him" (Luke 8:40). Many people waited with great anticipation for Jesus to return and preach the Word of God, as well as to heal those among them who suffered from various ailments.

"And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying" (vv. 41-42a). Jairus was essentially the head of the synagogue. He was responsible for the maintenance of the synagogue building and the organization of the worship services (what we today would call a trustee or a deacon).

As Jesus was going with Jairus to his home (v. 42b), a woman made her way through the crowd, "touched the border of His garment," and was healed (v. 44). Jesus acknowledged her healing, and "while He was still speaking" with her, someone from Jairus' home came and said, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher" (v. 49).

Jesus heard what was said, turned to Jairus and said, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well" (v. 50). What a word of comfort that must have been! Yet somehow, even though that word came from Jesus, I can imagine that Jairus was still overtaken by grief. Who wouldn't be? I know I would be. It would seem that actually seeing her alive is what would help the most.

"When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl" (v. 51). Outside the home there was quite a scene. According to tradition, people gathered and "all wept and mourned for her" (v. 52a). But Jesus said to them, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping" (v. 52b). They then began to ridicule Him because they knew "she was dead" (v. 53).

Jesus then went into her room, "took her by the hand and called, saying, 'Little girl, arise'" (v. 54). We know that she had indeed died because her spirit or soul had left her body. When Jesus said to her, "Arise" (v. 54b), "her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat" (v. 55).

Of course, "her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened" (v. 56). Again, it wasn't time for Him to be fully revealed as to who He is and why He came. But the people outside would figure it out when they saw the little girl alive and well.

Any time Jesus speaks to your heart and mind with that still small voice, take note. Listen to what the Lord says and trust Him. He will never fail you. He will take care of your needs and bless you greatly. Again, just trust Jesus. Amen.

The Woman Who Told the Whole Truth

Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, summoned Jesus to come to his home and heal his twelve-year-old daughter (Mark 5:22-23). As Jesus was making His way to Jairus' home, He sensed a surge of power go out of Him (v. 30a). But before we continue, let me set the stage for this miracle by describing the very painful ailment of this woman.

"Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years" (v. 25). This is something that I know very little about. It involves the monthly cycle of a woman's menstrual period. In the case of this woman, her monthly flow of blood would not stop, but continually flowed in her "for twelve years" (v. 25). It was extremely painful, and also quite embarrassing. She had been ostracized by society and treated much the same as a leper. She had seen multiple physicians, "spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse" (v. 26).

"When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, 'If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well'" (vv. 27-28). She believed in Jesus. She believed all she had heard and had faith in Him. "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well" (v. 28).

"Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction" (v. 29). She was trying to be very stealth-like so as not to be noticed, but of course, Jesus knew what had happened: "And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, 'Who touched My clothes?' But His disciples said to Him, 'You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, "Who touched Me?"'" (vv. 30-31).

Then Jesus "looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth" (vv. 32-33). And how did Jesus respond? "He said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction'" (v. 34).

Jesus recognized her faith, her great faith, and He confirmed her healing. If we believe in Jesus and have faith in Him, even a little faith, we can come to Him and be healed. Even if we are not healed, many were in the throng of people crowding around Him and even touching Him, yet they were not healed; still we know that Jesus will give us strength for the day and guide us through anything. Just trust in Jesus every day. Amen.