I want to encourage those among us who maybe feel a little on the edge of things — whether that’s family life, friendships, work, school or even church — none of us are immune to feeling a little left out every now and again.
In Luke 8:40-56, a desperate man throws himself at the feet of Jesus. He’s a ruler of the synagogue, a position of power; yet, despite his influence, he is at a loss to know what to do about his twelve-year-old daughter, who is dying. The drama unfolds with a twist: en route to helping Jairus, Jesus’ cloak is touched by a woman who is instantly healed; wonderful for her, but then word comes that Jairus’ daughter is dead! We cannot begin to understand what that must have felt like: in the midst of celebration for the woman healed by reaching out to Jesus, Jairus must have felt sick and isolated in his grief, and somewhat confused.
There are so many things to be extracted from this account. Firstly I want to say that, with God, there is always more than enough in God to go round; he is extravagant in his love, grace and healing! Secondly, his timing is always perfect; he is never too late! Thirdly, he hasn’t forgotten about you … he hasn’t lost sight of your need! When Jesus said to Jairus, ‘don’t be afraid; just believe’ (Luke 8:50) he went with it! Disappointment didn’t overcome faith or expectation for Jairus, and the resulting raising of his daughter was supernatural!