Advent Devotional for Sunday, Nov. 30
Wondering what the Advent devotional is? See the post below which introduces the concept...and check back each day for the devotional thought.
Sunday, Nov 30 Mark 5:21-43
Healing takes time.
This is one of my favorite stories in the Bible—or rather I should say two of my favorite stories. A man named Jairus comes looking for Jesus because his daughter is sick, at the point of death; obviously, he is a man of deep faith to come looking for Jesus. Jesus agrees to go with Jairus to his home to heal the girl. But on the way there is an interruption—a woman seeks Jesus’ healing from a hemorrhage which she has suffered with for twelve years. She believes that if she can just touch Jesus’ garment she will be made whole.
And she touches his garment and she is indeed made whole. Now Jesus could have kept moving, but he insists on stopping to see what has happened. “Who touched my clothes?” he said. The woman fesses up, and then proceeds to tell Jesus the whole drawn-out affair. Meanwhile, Jairus stands by, waiting, waiting, waiting, his daughter at the point of death. As Jesus responds to the woman, Jairus’ servant comes and informs him that his daughter has died. I have recurring bad dreams where I can’t get to a place on time and I’m moving as slow as molasses. Think how Jairus must have felt, his own daughter’s chance at healing snuffed out by another’s healing. Yet the story does not end here. Of course, Jesus goes and raises the girl from the dead after all, and Jairus’ faith is rewarded in the end.
Jairus’ story parallels our own as we await healing. Often, God’s healing does not happen in the time or way we expect. We watch as others receive healing and wonder why we cannot receive that same kind of healing quickly, instantly as that woman did. Why do we lay sick, why do our own children lay sick, even dying, when others are healed so quickly?
We don’t know. But we do know that in Jairus’ situation—and ours—Jesus knew the situation exactly. Jesus knew the girl would die, and knew he would raise her again for God’s greater glory. What humans could not see, Jesus could. And in our lives, in whatever need for healing we have at the moment, we can be assured that Jesus is in control of what is happening behind the scenes. That which we cannot see, he can; and he will deal with us in his way and in his time. We can know beyond doubting that this is the best way for us.
Sunday, Nov 30 Mark 5:21-43
Healing takes time.
This is one of my favorite stories in the Bible—or rather I should say two of my favorite stories. A man named Jairus comes looking for Jesus because his daughter is sick, at the point of death; obviously, he is a man of deep faith to come looking for Jesus. Jesus agrees to go with Jairus to his home to heal the girl. But on the way there is an interruption—a woman seeks Jesus’ healing from a hemorrhage which she has suffered with for twelve years. She believes that if she can just touch Jesus’ garment she will be made whole.
And she touches his garment and she is indeed made whole. Now Jesus could have kept moving, but he insists on stopping to see what has happened. “Who touched my clothes?” he said. The woman fesses up, and then proceeds to tell Jesus the whole drawn-out affair. Meanwhile, Jairus stands by, waiting, waiting, waiting, his daughter at the point of death. As Jesus responds to the woman, Jairus’ servant comes and informs him that his daughter has died. I have recurring bad dreams where I can’t get to a place on time and I’m moving as slow as molasses. Think how Jairus must have felt, his own daughter’s chance at healing snuffed out by another’s healing. Yet the story does not end here. Of course, Jesus goes and raises the girl from the dead after all, and Jairus’ faith is rewarded in the end.
Jairus’ story parallels our own as we await healing. Often, God’s healing does not happen in the time or way we expect. We watch as others receive healing and wonder why we cannot receive that same kind of healing quickly, instantly as that woman did. Why do we lay sick, why do our own children lay sick, even dying, when others are healed so quickly?
We don’t know. But we do know that in Jairus’ situation—and ours—Jesus knew the situation exactly. Jesus knew the girl would die, and knew he would raise her again for God’s greater glory. What humans could not see, Jesus could. And in our lives, in whatever need for healing we have at the moment, we can be assured that Jesus is in control of what is happening behind the scenes. That which we cannot see, he can; and he will deal with us in his way and in his time. We can know beyond doubting that this is the best way for us.
posted by Michael Jordan at 12:00 PM
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