When the time is right, I, the Lord will make it happen.

Isaiah 60:22

This morning I’ll be teaching our elementary aged church kiddos about two of Jesus’ miracles:

• healing the woman with the issue of blood
• raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead

I’m always amazed how, in preparing for our children’s lessons, God always teaches me something new too. For example, did you realize that these two miracles happen on the same day?

In fact, one happens on the way to the other.

I’ve learned about both miracles, but I’m not sure I realized their relation to each other. To catch you up, Mark 5:21-43 goes like this:

Jairus comes to Jesus for help because his daughter is very sick and he believes Jesus can heal her. Jesus sees Jairus’ need and begins walking to his home to heal the girl. On the way though, the streets are very crowded. Some people are trying to get Jesus’ attention and others are just pushing past in the crowd. Jesus and Jairus are being slowed by the masses and all the while Jairus’ daughter is declining in health. Suddenly, Jesus stops and asks, “Who touched me?”. And the Bible doesn’t say so, but I imagine Jairus thought, “Who hasn’t touched us? I’ve been bumped like 10 times already.” But Jesus persists until a woman comes forward, a woman who – prior to reaching out and touching Jesus’ robe – had been suffering from an issue of blood for 12 years. Penniless from paying doctors and desperate for healing, the woman knew if she could just touch Jesus, even just the hem of His robe, she would be healed. Because of her great faith, she was healed.

Now, I’m sure Jairus was happy for that woman. He seems like a nice guy for what we read about him, but while Jesus stops in this crowd to figure out who touched Him, Jairus has an urgent need too. His daughter is dying. As Jesus is speaking to the woman who has just been healed, one of Jairus’ servants approaches and tells him that his daughter has died. The Bible doesn’t say so, but I’m sure in that moment Jairus’ might have been thinking that he hadn’t been fast enough getting Jesus to the house. He may have been thinking that if Jesus hadn’t stopped to talk to the woman who was healed maybe they would have made it on time.

Sweet friends, isn’t that a story we’ve all played a part in before?

We pray and pray and ask God for healing or resolution or rescue and all around us we see the answered prayers of others and the needs of others met while our need remains. We may even ask ourselves what we have done wrong, if we were too slow in seeking help or too slow in getting Jesus to the problem. We may even envy others who receive what they need and wish God would spend time on us instead. I think we all know too that those thoughts are a slippery slope toward doubt and anger. Let’s head back to Jairus and Jesus and see what happens next.

Though the servant said the girl was dead and told Jairus not to bother Jesus anymore (or bother with Jesus anymore depending on the translation), Jesus insisted on going to the house. He told Jairus, “Do not be afraid. Just believe.” When they arrived, more family members and servants told them not to bother, the girl was dead. When Jesus replied that she is not dead but merely sleeping, they laughed at Him.

Uh oh, friends, I think this one hits home for us too sometimes.

Has God ever told you something or asked you to do something and you scoffed at it?

You thought, “There’s no way that’s going to work.” or “I can’t do that God. Best ask someone else.” I recall Sarah scoffing at the idea of having a child at her age.

While the doubters in the house laughed, Jesus took Jairus and his wife and the disciples to the girl’s room where she lay. He took the girl by the hand and said, “Little girl, get up.”, and she rose instantly and was well. Though all hope appeared lost, though she was dead as far as anyone could tell, Jesus restored her to life again!

Dear hearts, the Lord knows you’ve been waiting a long time for some areas of your life to be healed. He hears your prayers and sees your need.

Even when you think all hope is lost as Jairus surely must have, even when other people tell you to your face that all hope is lost, even if people laugh at your continued persistence as Jairus’ family did, keep praying, keep hoping, keep believing.

The woman with the issue of blood waited 12 years for healing and found it instantly in Christ Jesus.

Jairus’ daughter was past the point of no return in everyone’s eyes BUT JESUS – sweet music to our ears – Jesus restored her to a full life.

We don’t always understand God’s timing or His ways, but we can trust that He is good and that, in His perfect time and way, all things will be made right.

No need to fret or try to rush God.

No need to long for what others receive.

We need only believe.