Mark 5:21-43

“As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, ‘Do not be afraid; only believe.’” (Mark 5:36, NKJV)

I can’t imagine how this would feel. What if your twelve-year-old daughter was minutes away from taking her last breath? What would you do to save her life?

This happened to Jairus, the synagogue ruler in Capernaum. But he heard that Jesus from Nazareth had done marvelous miracles including healing the sick. Could He save their daughter? Yes, it was risky. Already the religious leaders were discussing how they might put Jesus to death for healing on the Sabbath. There was also talk of putting people out of the synagogue who believed that Jesus was the Christ. What would his fellow elders, friends, and family think? But any hope of saving his daughter was worth losing everything else.

Jesus agrees to go with him. But then a woman with a hemorrhage of blood touches the hem of Jesus’ garment. She receives a miraculous healing, but this interruption costs them precious time. Then Jairus’ servants come with the dreaded news: “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” Jairus is shattered. But Jesus tells him, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”

What do we do when circumstances turn for the worse? How do we feel when we hear extremely bad news? Do we panic? Do we blame others? Do we rush to find a solution? Do we lose hope? The Lord tells us, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” These would be empty words if Jesus were not all-powerful. But if He is sovereign, and He is for us, then why should we fear?

Jairus believed Jesus could heal his daughter, but did he believe Jesus could raise her from the dead? This was a new level of faith.

Likewise, God will not let us stay in the same place. We may have faith that God will help us meet our next rent payment, but do we believe God when the doctor tells us we have cancer? Do we believe that Christ is still in control and that He has us in His grip? This is how our faith grows, and we receive the greater blessing.

“The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18, NKJV)

When trouble comes, call upon Jesus, and just believe.