Mark 5:35-43 While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher any more?” Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 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. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.
In the above story we see a circumstance when it seems Jesus comes too late. Surely, Jairus and his friends wondered why Jesus had come at all since the girl was dead. Doesn't Jesus realize the situation had already been decided? They laughed at him when He said, "The child is not dead but asleep.” The onlookers knew death was a permanent condition. They knew Jesus the healer was no longer needed in this home for this family. HE ARRIVED TOO LATE! As we consider this story, we might ask ourselves, how often have we viewed circumstances and situations where Jesus the miracle worker is seemingly too late to make a difference? When have we felt that the Lord did not offer us any help until the die had been cast and permanency had set in, making change impossible. In the above account, the divinity of Jesus is being affirmed, but as believers we must believe that Jesus can never be considered too late even when the situation seems permanently set against us, and we did not receive the answer we wanted. We must remember He is always near us, always ready to bless us. Sometimes his presence brings miracles and interventions beyond our understanding; other times He gently says no, and allows nothing to change. The latter sears our hearts, but regardless we trust God, believing by faith we will place our lives into his hands. We read precious promises in his word: The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:6 & 8) We believe the truth of God's Word and the Holy Spirit bears witness to our hearts and minds that God is faithful to keep us to the end, and He will never ever fail us. As the Spirit told Paul: My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Oftentimes, life for Christians can be compared to the Israelites' wilderness journey. As they were, we are aliens in a desolate land, a foreign place, not our home. The children of Israel were passing through to the Promised Land. As with our lives, life in the wilderness can be demanding, difficult to endure. As we many times do, the Israelites grumbled, expressed their discontent. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” (Numbers 14:2-3) At least in Egypt they knew they had food to eat and water to drink that did not require a daily step of faith. The enticements of Egypt often tempt Christians when the struggle seems too hard. When our marriages fall apart, when relationships seem too difficult and hurtful, those are times when Jesus seems uninvolved or arrives too late. We think He should have come when there was a possibility of things improving. When the marriage on life-support could have been made better; when the difficult relationship was still viable: at these times, we are tempted to believe the solutions are in Egypt, the old life. Turning toward Egypt, the unregenerate man's way, might make us feel better, like we are winning rather than losing. We think if we release our temper and allow uncontrolled anger or bitterness to reign in our lives, we might find a release from pain. Maybe resentment and unforgiveness will ease the hurting of our souls, allowing our spirits to pay back evil with evil. Perhaps getting a pound of flesh from our enemy for every hurt we have experienced is just what we need. Looking back to the old ways, our Egypt, seems all too tempting when we believe Jesus cannot help us. When we are without hope, the temptations of our flesh become more attractive. Our old habits of drinking binges, sexual escapades, cheating on our taxes, malicious gossiping, and the like might help us find our way back to Egypt, where we would be more at home, more comfortable. But wait, these are all from the devil, all expressions of faithlessness, signs of our failure to endure in Christ's love. We must trust in him: He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. (1 Corinthians 1:8-9)
As the Children of Israel traversed the wilderness, there was always a question in the minds of the people of whether they would perish in the wilderness or God would succeed in getting them to the Promised Land. Since water is so essential in surviving a desert environment, the people constantly wondered whether there was an oasis in front of them, and if not, would God provide the miracle of water they needed. Would there always be a fountain of water in their future? The Children of Israel had to walk through the wilderness each day, believing God was ahead of them just as much as He was behind them. All of them knew the promises of God in their heads, but they had to believe in God's faithfulness in their hearts: By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. (Exodus 13:21-22) Do we believe that? When Jairus' experience enters our lives and the desert is a dry and barren place with no sign of refreshing, can we believe there is a fountain ahead us, that God will provide life for us. Do we know in our hearts He is faithful and never enters our lives too late. Yes, we face events and situations that seem permanently disabling, but God can turn those situations into great successes if we trust that there is a fountain ahead of us. Can we believe that God is always working to make our lives successful? Do we believe the verses we quote so easily: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) If we believe him, then we know that He never leaves us. Real inexpressible joy comes when we believe God is always with us: ahead of us and behind us too. This strong belief in God's enduring efficacy and presence is called faith. Without faith, the Bible says it is impossible to please God. The dust of the trail, the heat of the day, the coldness of the night challenge our faith, but dear friends remember, He is never too late for He is always with us to the ends of our days. Rejoice in the Lord today!
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