Day 16: Luke 8:40-56

Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.

As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.

“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”

But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”

Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

Can you hear the desperation of Jairus as he pleaded with Jesus for the life of his twelve-year-old daughter as she lay dying? Can you feel the desperation of the bleeding woman who had been ill for twelve years with no one able to heal her?

Can you see the different ways they approached Jesus? Jairus, the synagogue leader, walked directly up to Jesus to plead for his daughter’s life. The unnamed woman crept up behind Jesus in an attempt to touch his cloak unnoticed. And yet, despite approaching him in very different ways, both Jairus and the unnamed woman ended up at Jesus’ feet, bringing their despair and great need to him.

What need do you have today that you could take to Jesus? Imagine either falling at Jesus feet crying out your need, or simply working your way through the crowd to touch Jesus. Go to Christ now.

The Scripture continues…

While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”

Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”

When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.”

They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Despite their vastly different social statuses, Jesus responded with great compassion to both Jairus and the woman. He moved toward them. He granted their requests for healing. He called the healed woman “daughter” and said to her, “Your faith has healed you.” To Jairus he said, “Don’t be afraid, just believe.”

Which do you need to hear most from Jesus: “Your faith has healed you,” or, “Don’t be afraid, just believe”?

Ask Jesus to move close to you now, and take your deepest needs to his feet.