Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will direct your paths
Proverbs 3: 5-6
Over the last couple of weeks, we have looked at occasions when Jesus welcomed and transformed the lives of people who were on the fringes of society: Zacchaeus the unscrupulous tax collector; a gentile Centurion who would not have been welcome in the homes of devout Jews; a woman whose illness made her socially unacceptable.
Today we consider the encounter between Jesus and someone who rather than being at the edge of society, is in the centre of it. Jairus, as a Leader at the synagogue would be at the heart of his community, with lots of people looking up to him as an example for them to base their lives on.
Read: Luke 8: 40-56
So, when Jairus comes to Jesus and asks for his help, he is putting his reputation at risk. Through his actions he is showing that he has faith in Jesus to bring God’s healing into his daughter’s life. Having ‘stuck his neck out’ he would be pleased that Jesus readily agrees to go and see her, but then, what happens to Jairus’ faith as Jesus pauses to help someone else – a nameless woman – and as that is happening news arrives that Jairus’ daughter has died?
Have you ever stepped out in faith, trusting God to meet your needs and just as you are thinking that you can see how God is answering your prayers, everything suddenly gets worse? What did you then do? Jairus has to decide whether to accept what the messenger tells him and give up on Jesus being able to help him, or to continue to trust Jesus who says to him: (v.50) “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”
Once they get to Jairus’ home his faith is further tested as his family and friends laugh at Jesus’ declaration that he will ‘wake up’ Jairus’ daughter. Have you ever had to face the challenge of continuing to trust that God is going to help you, although those all around you are laughing at your faith?
Even when we do persist in putting our trust in God’s help, we are still not guaranteed that the answer to our needs will be so instant and so obvious as the answer Jairus received. Whether or not we can see an answer to our prayer, scripture tells us again and again that we can be sure that God is answering our faith in him, but to see how he is doing this we may need to return the quote from wheelchair-user Joni Earekson Tada: “The more intense the pain, the closer his embrace.”
When we are struggling to see how God is answering our needs, whether physical or mental needs, our starting point is to recognise that Jesus shows us the love and care of our perfect ‘Father in heaven’. We then need to surround ourselves with the knowledge of who we know God to be and the promises he has made to us.
Think about what your needs are at the moment and then use the words of this hymn as a declaration that you continue to put your trust in God to answer all your needs:
My Jesus, my Saviour, Lord there is none like you.
All of my days I want to praise the wonders of your mighty love.
My comfort, my shelter, tower of refuge and strength
let every breath, all that I am never cease to worship you.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing
power and majesty, praise to the King.
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of your name.
I sing for joy at the work of your hands.
Forever I'll love you, forever I'll stand.
Nothing compares to the promise I have in you
(Darlene Zschech © 1993 Hillsongs Australia)
On Friday, if I receive an article before Thursday evening, I will publish a ‘Guest Writer’ article.
On Sunday I will write on the theme of Advent and on the church’s facebook page at 10:30am we will live-stream some songs, prayers and a message - Stephen