Home Tools for your Journey May 22

Friday, May 22

Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?
—Mark 5:35

Jairus was a leader of the Temple, a powerful figure in the powerful established faith of his time. But he wasn’t feeling powerful. His daughter was critically ill, and he was grabbing at whoever and whatever might help. He had heard about Jesus and his healing abilities. Seeking him out, Jairus found Jesus and asked that he come to his house to help his beloved little girl.

But, as they were on their way, some people from the leader’s house met them and announced that the daughter had died. Jesus intervened and told the father, “Do not fear, only believe.” Then Jesus led the rest of the way to the house.

Upon arrival they saw that there were many people mourning loudly. Jesus told them all, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” And then he proved his point by telling the little girl to get up, and get up she did.

Go back for a moment, to the instant in which the father, on the road with Jesus, was told that his daughter had died. How many times have you in your life faced moments of defeat, of despair? Perhaps not as tragic as this one, but nonetheless, times when you thought it was all over, you had lost or failed or been defeated?

Jesus encourages us to continue to hope, to believe, to keep on going. With God on our side, there is always hope. During World War II, Winston Churchill famously said, “Never, never, never give up.” And Jesus says to us, right now, “Do not fear, only believe.”

Lord God, give me the faith to have hope, always. Amen.

This Signpost originally appeared on explorefaith in 2007.