Two Different Faiths

Day 11

²¹ When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. ²² Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet.²³ He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” ²⁴ So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. ²⁵ And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. ²⁶ She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. ²⁷ When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,²⁸ because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” ²⁹ Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. ³⁰ At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” ³¹ “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” ³² But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. ³³ Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. ³⁴ He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” ³⁵ While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” ³⁶ Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” ³⁷ He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. ³⁸ When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. ³⁹ He went in and said to them,“Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” ⁴⁰ But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. ⁴¹ He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). ⁴² Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. ⁴³ He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat. - Mark 5:21-43

This passage consisted of two miracles and over four characters, and its interesting to put yourself in each of their positions.

Jarius: He appears in in verse 22, and he asks Jesus to heal his daughter, he seems desperate having to plead and fall at his feet, it almost sounds he feels like he needs to do everything he can to get Jesus' attention and to get what he wants/needs. Jesus had stopped to figure out who touched his cloak while heading to Jarius' house, Im sure Jarius was getting jittery and impatient, thinking of his dying daughter and wanting Jesus to hurry up.

Woman: She has been suffering for 12 years of bleeding and she did plead, she didnt cry, she didn't ask, she just believed. She took the risk and thought touching his cloak would work. The smallest piece of Jesus would do, but with such a great faith, it did.

Daughter: Im not sure how she would feel if she was initially dying, had died and then somehow woke up to the face of Christ. That would be an interesting feeling, especially that portion between death and life again. I dont know how I would feel if I was her.

Disciple: They are more of the minor characters in this passage, but they followed and watched Jesus' every move. Im sure I would have been astonished to be following such a powerful and amazing leader and at the same time, be surprised by how calm Jesus was.

I think Jarius is someone who I can relate to most. If you compare both the faiths between him and the woman, he seems more desperate while the woman just knew and believed as Jesus said in verse 36. We often ask Jesus for a lot and do anything we can to get our way, sometimes they can be selfish desires. Jarius had to wait while Jesus was interacting with the woman and I feel that similarly we're often called to wait, Christ will do all things in his perfect timing.

My Prayer: Father, you provide us with all the right things at all the right times and yet we still ask so much of you. Sometimes even out of selfish ambition. But I pray you will teach me to wait on your plan and timing, reminding us that you have all things in control. Let us not be anxious or worrisome, and follow as you've told us, "dont be afraid, just believe." Amen.