Thoughts for the Day

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered round him; and he was by the lake. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.’ So he went with him....

While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?’ But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’ He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, ‘Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha cum’, which means, ‘Little girl, get up!’ And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

The story of the healing of Jairus' daughter appears in Matthew, Mark, and Luke's Gospels (the Synoptic Gospels) with the fullest account, unusually, in Mark's. Jesus has returned across the lake and as he arrives near Capernaum, the town he has made his home, the leader of the Synagogue comes to him in great despair, for his daughter is near to death.

If we look at Mark's Gospel we see in Chapter 1 that Jesus moves from Nazareth to Capernaum where he enters the synagogue on the sabbath and carries out a healing. In quick succession there are numerous healings as he travels the whole area teaching and healing in synagogues. By Chapter 2 opposition has grown from the scribes and pharisees, and by Chapter 3 after a group of them have come from Jerusalem we are told that they are actually seeking ways to 'destroy' Jesus (Mark 1.14-3.30).

This is the situation Jesus faces after his return to Capernaum, when Jairus the leader of the Synagogue kneels at Jesus' feet. Jairus would have been an esteemed member of society, and we might have expected him to side with the scribes and pharisees believing that Jesus was an upstart who was breaking the Law of Moses. But when his daughter's life is threatened he puts all his trust in Jesus, and appeals to him 'repeatedly' for healing. All other priorities are put aside, and he puts his total confidence in Jesus. Why should we who know the rest of Christ's story do any less?

Lord Jesus Christ,
when life seems difficult
and we are worried about loved ones,
or even about ourself,
instead of trying to sort out the problem
on our own,
may we instantly turn to You for help,
and leave the worry in Your hands.
May we also learn to trust You,
to know that whatever the result
You will have been involved in the answer.
Amen.