September 8: Stop crying

Just then, a man named Jairus came. He was a leader of the synagogue. He fell down at Jesus’ feet and pleaded with Him to come to his house, because he had an only daughter about 12 years old, and she was at death’s door…… 
While He was still speaking, someone came from the synagogue leader’s house, saying, “Your daughter is dead. Don’t bother the Teacher anymore.” When Jesus heard it, He answered him, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe, and she will be made well.” After He came to the house, He let no one enter with Him except Peter, John, James, and the child’s father and mother. Everyone was crying and mourning for her. But He said, “Stop crying, for she is not dead but asleep.” They started laughing at Him, because they knew she was dead. So He took her by the hand and called out, “Child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Then He gave orders that she be given something to eat. Her parents were astounded.  (Luke 8:41-42+49-56 — Holman Christian Standard Bible)

This incredible story of healing is told by a doctor, Luke, who was a companion of Paul, but was not personally there when this miracle happened. Before writing the book of Luke he carefully investigated the life and events of Jesus’ life in order to write down an orderly sequence of His life. As the only Gentile author of a New Testament book and a medical doctor, he could easily have doubted this account of a 12 year old girl being raised from the dead, or suggested some medical explanation for what happened that day, but instead he writes about this event with complete conviction that the girl actually died, and that Jesus, as God, brought her back to life.

I love this story because it reveals so many small details about faith that other miracles of Jesus do not include. When Jairus got the news that his daughter was dead, Jesus overheard what was said and immediately countered with a word of faith — the opposite of what Jairus would have been tempted to feel at that moment. Jesus refused to give in to the bad news, told him she would be made well, and told him all he needed was faith and to reject fear. He didn’t give him a hug and tell him everything would be okay, and His eyes did not fill with tears at the thought of what Jairus must have been feeling at that moment. Faith always looks to the future; faith always decides how things are going to turn out; faith is rough and refuses to waste time on emotions. What could be considered insensitivity on Jesus’ part was actually great love. He loved Jairus enough to challenge him to think big and receive his daughter back from the dead — the other option would have been to bury her.

Other details that relate to our faith today are the fact that Jesus only allowed Peter, James and John into the house of the dead girl. He had twelve disciples, but only wanted the strongest three with Him at that moment. This shows how important it is to surround yourself with strong people in hard times. If Jesus needed to do that, just imagine you and me.

When He entered the house it was filled with crying people, and Jesus said some shocking things: stop crying, she’s not dead just asleep. How dare He tell people in a house where a twelve year old had just died not to cry, and how could He say she was just asleep? But that’s faith. He was determined that raising her from the dead would be just as easy as waking a sleeping person. Of course she was dead, but Jesus was making bold declarations of faith, and today, our faith will never function as it should unless we do the same. Negative thinking and fear always attract more of the same, and bold statements of faith always precede a miracle.

Think of a miracle that you need right now… apply these lessons to yourself… and watch God do the miracle.