Jairus, a leader of the synagogue, fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, who was dying… Luke 8:41-42.

Nearly every parent has felt the deep emotion of having a severely ill child. Visit an old cemetery and you’ll find that this was much more common in earlier days. Jairus was an important and respected man ‘chairman of the Board of Elders’ of his synagogue. Jesus had offended the Jewish authorities so much – he was teaching things contrary to their orthodoxies – that he was excluded from the synagogue, rejected by the religious leaders.

So for Jairus to come publicly to Jesus, and fall at his feet, was an act of faith and courage. He had to set aside his prejudices, his pride, his embarrassment, and come humbly, admitting his need. He had to overcome his fear of ridicule by others, the possiblity of losing his important social position, and swallow his pride and set aside his dignity.

His despair was God’s opportunity! Like Naaman, he had to do a very humiliating thing indeed to receive God’s blessing. Here was a desperate man, feeling the intense agony of watching helplessly while his twelve-year old girl was dying. He had nowhere else to go, no-one else to turn to, and was prepared to suffer any amount of ‘egg on his face’ from others, if only his daughter could be healed.

Save me, Lord, from the pride that refuses to trust you as a child trusts a parent. Amen.

JAIRUS’ DAUGHTER.

Jesus took her by the hand and called out, ‘Child, get up!’ Her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Luke 8:51-52.

Jesus was interrupted on his journey to Jairus’ house by a woman with a twelve-year hemorrhage. As Jairus was, no doubt, wringing his hands in frustration and despair, moving from one leg to the other impatiently, the message came, ‘Your daughter is dead’ and his heart sank…

They come to the house, and the mourners are already ‘in full swing’, (frenzied, wailing, tearing their garments and hair, with loud shrieks accompanied by mournful flute-playing). Their scornful laughter is understandable (curing illness is one thing; raising the dead is quite another!) and their unbelief excluded them from seeing the amazing miracle. Peter, James and John were invited in (the same three who later experienced Jesus’ transfiguration). And what Jesus said made such an indelible impression on Peter’s mind and memory that he could hear that ‘Talitha cumi’ all his life.

There is no magic formula – just a gentle command, with a follow-up concern that the girl be fed something. Jesus had no desire for publicity about raising the dead. He didn’t want an invitation to every funeral in Palestine, although he spoilt every funeral he went to, including his own!

Save me from the unbelief that scoffs at miracles, and from the arrogance of thinking that I can be healed without you, Lord. Amen.

WHO TOUCHED ME?

A woman had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years… touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. Luke 8:43-44.

This woman was suffering from a vaginal haemorrhage – a common, and incurable complaint in those days (and in half the world today). She was ceremonially unclean (and barred from worship), and had to keep her distance from everyone. Like a leper, she couldn’t mingle with people. And, of course, she was embarrassed by it all, so in desperation she pushed her way through the crowd (ignoring the fact that she was rendering others unclean) to touch one of the tassels on Jesus’ robe.

Mark tells us that she had this condition for twelve years, and the doctors hadn’t helped at all. (Dr. Luke is kinder he stresses that this illness was incurable anyway). Jesus transformed what might have been a superstitious act into a personal relationship. He couldn’t let her be part of a ‘faceless crowd’, but treated her as an individual.

She came in fear and trembling, but Jesus told her a beautiful thing: even though she felt in her body that she was healed, he said further (as the verb tense has it) ‘Be continually healed!’ To the only person he ever called ‘daughter’ he granted continuing health!

‘Let not conscience make you linger/ Nor of fitness fondly dream; / All the fitness he requires,/ Is to feel your need of him.’ Amen.