Life and Time – Part 3
“Don’t be afraid, only believe…” Luke 8:50
Jairus was a ruler in the synagogue of Capernaum who sought out Jesus’ help as his young daughter lay gravely ill. Jesus went with him and as they made their way through the crowds to Jairus’ home a messenger came with the bad news; "Don't trouble the Teacher anymore, your little girl is dead."
Have you ever been at the peak of hope, only to have it crushed in an instant?
As a man, Jesus was limited by time the same way we are, but as God incarnate, He was not bound by it. And Jesus spoke to Jairus and said, "Don't be afraid, only believe." They continued to the house where Jesus raised the little girl from the dead (Luke 8:40-56).
We are much like Jairus in the sense that we trust Jesus to save, to deliver, to heal, and work all things out for good, but throughout life there are circumstances and events that would lead us to believe that time is the ruler of God instead of the other way around. When that loved one is laying ill or the tornado blows through town or the distracted driver swerves into the crosswalk and tragedy strikes in a fallen world, Satan would have you think that God is helpless. But He is not helpless. He is Lord and He says to us, as He said to Jairus – “Don’t be afraid, only believe.”
Fear and unbelief go together like cream and sugar. They are a tandem of emotions that cause their victims to stop, quit or just give up. We may think that Jesus can’t possibly understand how we feel, but He actually does. He was a person, a little boy with tender emotions, a teenager going through teen-stuff, and a grown man with all that drama – just like you and me. When you are tempted to think that no one understands you, that no one has walked in your shoes, you need to change your thinking – Jesus totally ‘gets’ what its like to be you. The difference is, He lived life without falling victim to fear and unbelief. Think of Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, “My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will” Matthew 26:39. Knowing what lay before Him on the cross would have been a time that fear and unbelief might grip His heart and make Him want to run, but it didn’t. He persevered. He walked in faith. He trusted the will of His Father – God.
Jesus wouldn’t tell Jairus not to fear and just believe if it was impossible to do so. Jesus resisted fear and unbelief as a human being and by His presence with Jairus that day empowered him to resist as well, and he walked on with Jesus by faith. His presence with you provides the same strength – you don’t have to be afraid – of anything. Jesus stood by Jairus and He is standing by you.
Fear not, only believe, dear one, for the circumstances of your life are no surprise to Jesus. At times it may seem like He is too late, or that He doesn’t understand, that’s wrong thinking. Time and eternity, your very life and the lives of those you love, are in His loving, capable hands – and He will never let you go.
Sincerely,
Ed
