Hello there, brothers and sisters,
Today, let’s take a look at Jesus’ response after hearing the news that Jairus’ daughter had died:
While He was still speaking, they came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?”
— Mark 5:35
This narrative occurs immediately after Jesus addressed the situation of the woman with the bleeding issue. Mark’s remark, “While He was still speaking,” indicates that Jesus was still speaking either to the woman or to the crowd regarding what had just happened. In the midst of this conversation, messengers from Jairus’ house arrived to deliver the devastating news.
Our View on the Power of God
The way this news was delivered reflects the perspective these messengers had about Jesus’ power. Up to this point, they had witnessed or heard of several miracles—Jesus healing a paralytic, casting out demons, restoring a withered hand, and even healing a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. Yet, resurrection was not something they had seen.
The messengers understood death to be the ultimate, irreversible end. Even in Jairus’ case, they believed Jesus could have healed his daughter while she was alive, but not after her death.
This prompts us, as believers, to examine our own view of God’s power. Are there situations in which we think Jesus is unable to intervene? Have we placed limits on what the Almighty can do?
It’s possible to approach Jesus not with faith but with the limitations of our human understanding, doubting His ability. This flawed perspective can prevent us from boldly asking for His will to be done. Instead, we should approach God with reverence and faith, always asking for His divine will to be accomplished, as Jesus taught His disciples to pray:
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
— Matthew 6:10
We must trust God’s sovereign power, recognizing that His ways and thoughts are far beyond our own:
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares Yahweh.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.”
— Isaiah 55:8-9
Our Attitude Toward God’s Power
The messengers’ statement, “Why trouble the Teacher anymore?” reveals another troubling perspective: they considered bringing the matter to Jesus a burden to Him.
Many believers today share this attitude. We hesitate to bring our concerns to Christ, thinking we might be “bothering” Him. This mindset reflects a misunderstanding of God’s nature.
In the story of the Exodus, we see that God heard the cries of His people and acted to deliver them:
And Yahweh said, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sufferings.”
— Exodus 3:7
Throughout Scripture, God reminds us that He is near and attentive to our prayers:
Seek Yahweh while He may be found;
Call upon Him while He is near.
— Isaiah 55:6
God is not only transcendent but also deeply personal and intimate. He cares for us individually:
“Before I formed you in the innermost parts I knew you,
And before you came out from the womb I set you apart.”
— Jeremiah 1:5
Let us never view approaching God as bothersome. He invites us to cast our burdens on Him:
Cast your burden upon Yahweh and He will sustain you;
He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
— Psalm 55:22
Our Faith in the Power of God
When Jesus overheard the messengers, He responded:
But Jesus, overhearing what had been spoken, said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid, only believe.”
— Mark 5:36
Here, Jesus contrasts fear and faith. Just as the woman with the bleeding issue was healed by faith, Jairus and his household needed faith to handle the loss of their daughter.
Where there is faith, there is no room for fear. Paul echoed this truth when he reminded Timothy:
For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and self-discipline.
— 2 Timothy 1:7
Similarly, the Apostle John states:
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
— 1 John 4:18
Fear and faith cannot coexist. When Jesus tells Jairus to “only believe,” He is urging him to replace fear with unwavering faith in God.
Conclusion
When faced with fear-inducing situations, let us respond with faith, trusting in God’s sovereign will. We serve a God who is both powerful and personal, who cares deeply for His children. Bring your fears, burdens, and needs to Him, knowing that He is never bothered by our prayers.
I pray that we may always approach God with faith, trusting Him to work all things for His glory which is our ultimate our good.
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