The Word That Brings Faith

This morning I am reading from Mark 5:22-24, 35-43 NIV:
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.

[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.

I love this story for the hope it gives those in great need. This morning as I was reading my eyes were drawn to the words of Jesus in verse 36, "Don't be afraid; just believe."

Five simple words (or in the Greek - four), spoken from the Lord can radically change our life. This wasn't some statement from Peter Pan, to believe in magic, but rather the strong encouragement to believe in Jesus and the reality of the Kingdom He was proclaiming and demonstrating. The man had just seen a woman healed by touching Jesus clothes (verses 25-34 excluded here for brevity), and he had clearly heard about Jesus' abilities to heal, and had sought him out. He was moving in faith, but then he received the pronouncement that his daughter was dead, and that growing faith died quickly and was replaced by fear. Fear of death, fear of loss, fear of pain, sorrow and grief started washing over the man.

Jesus is not afraid of these and so stood and commanded the man, 'deny the fear its hold over you, and believe and put your trust in Me!' (My paraphrase of the Greek)

This command wasn't to convince himself in his mind, it wasn't to change the way he was thinking, it was both a command and an impartation of the Holy Spirit, for faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit, not a mental belief. The word of Jesus, destroyed the fear and doubt and bouyed the man up out of his grief. His heart was filled with an unshakable belief in the Lord.

If we are in need, let us pursue the Lord. Let us trust in Him! Let us pray for faith! Let us look to Him and listen to Him, not those around us with their own opinions of what is happening. The Lord was not swayed by the pronouncements of the people, nor their derision. He knew what would happen, what was destined to happen, so believing what He said was the right thing. In the same way let us seek the Lord and hear what He has to say - for His word brings faith.