Just Believe…

My son is now 31, married, and doing what he can to make ends meet for he and his bride.  I had a flashback this morning to when he was roughly 3 years old…this flashback came this morning as I was reading Mark 5 in the Bible.  The story goes that Jesus had just crossed the “lake” and one of the synagogue rulers came to him, “fell at his feet” and begged him to come and lay his hands on his daughter so that she could be healed and live.  He truly believed that Jesus could do that. Ever seen a ruler fall to their knees and beg??  Have you ever been in such a place in life?  Such desperation?  This guy named Jairus had heard the rumors of Jesus healing sick, raising the dead, casting out demons, so he figured this was his last hope for his precious girl.  I have a daughter, and now also a granddaughter.  A team of wild horses could not keep me from doing whatever I needed to do to protect them!

Just wait…I’ll get to the flashback!  Jesus departed for the ruler’s, Jairus’ home…and on the way, the throngs of people who had also heard the rumors about the healing power of Jesus began flocking around him….hoping He would heal them, maybe just trying to get their hands on Him for healing. I’m sure his disciples were like the secret service trying to protect him.  You may have heard the secondary story during this episode of the woman who actually did get to touch him…she had been bleeding for many years…spent all she had on various “miracle cures” (in the old west, that was called “snake oil”!).  She touched his garment, and was immediately healed.  Free.  No cost. No bias, no fault-finding, no discrimination.  Just lovingly healed.  You can read the story in Mark chapter 5…it is very touching!

During that small interlude, the Jairus’ “people” came and told him not to worry anymore, his little girl had died.  I can only imagine the heart break! But…Jesus hears those words, and says… here comes the phrase:  “Don’t be afraid, just believe.”

Just believe? In what?? Well…they had just come to seek Jesus’ presence. The fact that they did that alone was indication that they believed He could dome something! They are told the girls is dead. Jesus says “just believe.”

Then  I had that flashback to when my son was just 3.  We were at the water park in our city back in Texas one summer afternoon.  He loved the water, and he loved being with dad.  He was standing on the side of the pool, and I was trying to help him overcome his fear of the water…I backed about 2 feet from the edge of the pool, held out my hands, and said “Jump!”  He hesitated.  “C’mon buddy!  Jump!  You can do it!  I will catch you!!”…anticipation!  I could see it in his eyes, and body!  Have you ever been on the verge of doing something that was scary?  You are at the point of do or die.  Go or no-go.  Jump or not jump? “Do I ask her on the date, or not??”!

This is where the woman was too!  She was desperate.  “If I can just touch His garment, I will be healed…I am convinced of it!”  Desperation helps us make important decisions!  When we get lonely enough, we look for a spouse.  When we get hungry enough, we eat what we might not normally eat!  This ruler was desperate.  He would do ANYTHING to see his daughter well again.  Even go to a religious adversary and beg on his knees.

But Jesus was not in a huge hurry. He knew what was going on, and He was going to capitalize on it! Maybe He even planned it??

Jesus does these types of things…he waits until it looks impossible, then He acts…to build our faith and our trust in Him. Lazaraus was sick, and his sisters came and begged Jesus to come and heal him…Jesus actually waits!  Lazarus dies, and his sisters are distraught!  Yet when Jesus arrived on the scene, miraculous things happened.  Knowing that the people were praying for Lazarus to live, Jesus declares that HE was the resurrection AND the life.  What the heck??  But then he calls Lazarus to “come forth” out of a grave he had been in – deceased for days – AND HE DOES!

There are other times in the Bible where Jesus tells us of this same reality! The reality that is present when the Kingdom of God is at hand:

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” – Mark 10:27 (NIV)

Back to the ruler:  His daughter had just been pronounced dead. The ruler’s people told him not to bother “the teacher” any more. Interesting response! Jesus said to him and his people, “Don’t be afraid, just believe.”  In Jesus’ language of that day, that word “believe” is the Greek word “pisteuo” which means “to believe, trust, be confident about, consider possible…” That is what made me think of my son on the edge of that pool…with me trying to coax him to “Jump”!  I was begging him to just trust me! To “just believe!” He did by the way!  And we did it over and over again!  And then each time I would back away a little further, and he would be more excited each time.  He became very confident over time that day!

Does God do that with us?  YEP!  Each time He asks us a little more to use a greater and greater faith.  He builds a greater and greater confidence in Him.  A trust. 

Do you believe?

 Trust?  Are you confident in God?  Daniel was in the Old Testament!  Lion’s den.  Fiery Furnace.  I Love his words to King Nebuchadnezzar,

Daniel 3:17–18 (NIV)

¹⁷If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. ¹⁸But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Do you believe?

By the way: Jairus’ daughter was beautifully healed! Here is a fantastic song that beautifully recreates the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYwNwTqI-y4