When we ask for the unexpected

We did have a WonderFULL time at our retreat, didn’t we ladies? I certainly did! My favorite part was trying to make the story of the hemorrhaging woman come alive for you. She really helps us take a closer look at just how much Jesus really loves us. Those of you faithful readers of this newsletter know that I have spoken about her story before. I can assure you it won’t be the last time I do, either! 😉 I loved hearing your hearts respond to her story, too! I wanted to share something else from this story with you that came out of one group’s discussion. It isn’t about the woman, but rather the man, Jarius who had come to Jesus to ask him to come and heal his little girl. If you recall, Jesus had been teaching and at the man’s request Jesus began to follow him to his home – the crowd of hundreds, even thousands pressing into the narrow streets to follow – not wanting to miss what Jesus would do. It was on this urgent journey to Jarius’ home that the woman found herself reaching to touch Jesus’ robe. Which of course, she did; and was immediately healed! This is where Jesus stops to search her out. Can you imagine the frustration of the father who’s little girl was dying? Her life was fading away every moment and Jesus STOPS! Wouldn’t you just want to scream? ‘Come on, Lord. We’re so close. Just a little further.’ But no, Jesus stops. In fact, while he is speaking to the woman (bringing even further healing to her heart) Jarius’ servant comes to tell him, ‘Don’t bother the teacher. Your daughter is dead.’ I can only imagine that Jarius felt that God had failed him. What kind of God can let a child die while he stops to talk to a woman who had already been healed? (There is much more to Jesus’ interaction with the woman, but I want to focus on Jarius this time.)  I will tell you what ind of God. The kind of God who intimately knew the heart of this woman and the extent of the damage to her spirit that needed healing just as desperately, if not more; than her body. And the kind of God who knows that he holds the power of life and death in the palm of his hand and that death has no sting. You see Jarius came and asked for the expected. Jesus was a Rabbi. It was the expected thing when a person was sick to go to the rabbis and have them lay hands on the sick and to pray for healing. He also knew that this particular Rabbi had a certain habit of healing the sick. He expected healing. But when the servant announced that his daughter was dead, Jarius had no further expectation. All was lost. What a dark time in his life that must have been. Struggling to accept his loss and the seeming failure of Jesus to intercede for him. But no, Jesus was still with him and continued to walk to his house with him and told him, ‘She is not dead. She is asleep.’ And he speaks to the child and tells her to get up. And she does! You see, Jesus gave Jarius the unexpected. The miracle of life after death! He completely redefined expectation of God in the heart of Jarius and all who were present that day! What is your expectation of God?


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