"Do Not be afraid, Just believe"

 

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK

“DO NOT BE AFRAID, JUST BELIEVE”

Mark 5:21-43

21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet 23 and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." 24 So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. 30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"  31 "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?'" 32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."  35 While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?" 36 Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."  37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep."  40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

NIV

Mark puts two wonderful experiences with Jesus all mixed in together and so it is difficult to break this narrative up into smaller portions. However, we can consider each one separately. As Mark starts out with the encounter with Jarius, so will we. Although we know this story well, and it is all about the power and authority Jesus has over death, and his bringing this young girl back to life or awakens her from sleep, which is a metaphor for raising her from the dead. When the father pleads with Jesus to come with him, Jesus does not refuse. Here, right off from the start we can glean a great lesson for our lives. Whenever we plead, or ask, or pray to Jesus, he does not refuse us, he hears our voice, and he comes with us to be attentive to our need. The only time we recall Jesus not having to go with someone was the centurion who told Jesus he did not need to come, but just say the words, for he understood authority, and Jesus commended this Roman officer for such great faith. But here, Jesus went with this father to his home, right to the place of need. We should note that as they were on the way, friends of Jarius came to tell him that his daughter is dead,  so why bother the teacher anymore. This is very interesting in that when this father’s daughter was ill and it was looking rather grim, he must have told his family and friends that he was going to get Jesus and everything would be alright because Jesus would heal his daughter. This certainly was the action of one man, the faith of one man, but he expressed his faith to all that was around him. Of course, those who came to tell him not to bother the teacher anymore must also have had a measure of faith. Yet even at this news that his daughter had already died, Jesus makes a beautiful reassuring statement. “Do not be afraid, just believe”.  Once again, a great life lesson we can take to heart.  When we believe, there should be no fear. Faith puts fear away. Why would we fear anything if we believe in Jesus? We would not even fear death, for as he raised this young girl from the dead, he will raise us from the dead. There will be a difference as he did not resurrect her in the sense of his resurrection into a glorious state, which we too will be resurrected. Just like his friend Lazarus, this young girl was brought back to life, but to a life that would face death once more. Nevertheless, it was a great moment in the life of the family, and a demonstration to have faith, to believe and Jesus will take charge of the moment. Let us always hear those words of Jesus in our hearts. “Do not be afraid, just believe”.