The story is told in Mark 5 of a certain ruler of a synagogue who came to Jesus. His name was Jairus, and he found Jesus and begged Him to come to his home. These words are recorded:

“My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, that she may be healed and she will live.”

Jairus had the faith to find Jesus, and to ask for the healing. And Jesus followed Jairus — He followed his faith — and they started on the journey to Jairus’ home, where Jesus would perform a miracle.

It was while they were on this journey that another woman crawled through crowds to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment with the thought, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

The power of God met her faith and she was healed from a health problem she’d struggled with for years. And Jesus turned around in the crowd — pausing in the midst of the journey — to find out who’d touched Him. {Though He certainly already knew, the story was not yet finished.}

He had the opportunity to speak to the woman and encourage her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well.”

I imagine that Jairus, seeing this, would’ve been encouraged all the more that Jesus could indeed heal his daughter, too.

While all this was going on, word came from Jairus’ house that his daughter had died. It was a word of fear: “Why trouble the Teacher any further?” The situation is hopeless. Let Jesus be on His way. There’s no longer anything He can do for you.

But Jesus met Jairus with these words: “Do not be afraid; only believe.”

Is there a situation in your life where you’re waiting for God right now? Is it a situation that seems to have gone from bad to worse while you were waiting? Does it seem like all hope is lost?

Life deals us those times — when you want to hold on to hope against all odds, but everything around you seems to tell you it’s hopeless.

The voices in your own mind, and even the people around you, say it’s hopeless. No one is going to want you. It just doesn’t happen like that. Maybe for someone else but not for me. Give up. It’s impossible. Let go of that dream.

But bring it to Jesus, and let Him meet you with these words: “Do not be afraid; only believe.”

In one of my favourite lines from the movie Faith Like Potatoes, Angus Buchan says:

“The condition for a miracle is difficulty, however the condition for a great miracle is not difficulty, but impossibility.”

Jairus believed, and continued the journey to his home, taking Jesus with him. He brought Jesus to his daughter. Though the people there mourning and weeping ridiculed Him, Jesus took control of the situation. He put all the disbelief outside, and went in to the room where the child lay, took her by the hand, and said “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”

The impossible became a reality for Jairus. His daughter got up and walked. His faith brought about her healing. His faith-words to Jesus became faith-walking reality: “Come and lay your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.”

Though what you are hoping for may seem impossible, bring your faith to Jesus. And keep on bringing it. Let Him kick out disbelief. The woman’s faith moved her mountain. Jairus’ faith moved his. Keep speaking faith-words. Keep looking forward to faith walking. Let Him whisper to you, strong and true:

Do not be afraid; only believe.

xCC