Daily Devotion – June 22, 2021 – Dr. Pat Taylor Ellison

Mark 5:21-43
5:21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea.
5:22 Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet
5:23 and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.”
5:24 So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him.
5:25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years.
5:26 She had endured much under many physicians, & had spent all that she had; & she was no better, but rather grew worse.
5:27 She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,
5:28 for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.”
5:29 Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.
5:30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?”
5:31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?'”
5:32 He looked all around to see who had done it.
5:33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.
5:34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
5:35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?”
5:36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.”
5:37 He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
5:38 When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly.
5:39 When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.”
5:40 And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was.
5:41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha cum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!”
5:42 And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve). At this they were overcome with amazement.
5:43 He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

In this double story, Jesus heals, eliminating a 12-year source of pain and restoring a 12-year source of joy. In the first instance, the bleeding woman who should not be near Jesus in her state secretly touches his cloak, believing he will make her well and whole. When Jesus asks who has touched him, she confesses, and he tells her it was her faith that made her well and to go and live life abundantly.

In the second, he encourages Jairus not to lose faith, to keep faith, and to walk with him. The people in the synagogue have given up, and the people at his home have given up. But Jesus stays beside the worried parents and takes only them and his 3 disciples into a room and restores the girl to them. He urges them to keep the miracle a secret, and then urges them to give her food – live life abundantly.

Jesus’ healing power happens when there is a meeting of his own person and people’s faith. It is about the relationship between the Lord and the human being in the story. Every time. People’s trust in a generous God brings about miracles. How has this relationship made miracles in your own life? How might it change how you live your life? How might trusting God with your woes bring you to rejoice?

Gracious God, thank you for loving us. Thank you for being here now with us. Help us to trust you with our deepest woes, knowing you can bring us healing and help us live life abundantly.  Amen.