A Tale of Two Daughters

On the other side of the lake the crowds welcomed Jesus, because they had been waiting for him. Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come home with him. His only daughter, who was twelve years old, was dying.Luke 8:40-42 NLT - “Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live.” Whatever the source of your desperation, Jesus should be the source of your hope. As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds. A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Luke 8:43 NLTShe had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. Mark 5:26 NLTHuman effort that doesn’t include God’s wisdom and power has more potential to hurt than heal.She had heard about Jesus… Mark 5:27 NLT She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Mark 5:27-29 NLTNever underestimate the power of an encounter with Christ. Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?” Mark 5:30 NLT - (Turning He saw her.)Everyone needs to be seen and you need to know you’re seen by God.His disciples said to him, “Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” Mark 5:31 NLTJesus always engages those who encounter Him.Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.” Mark 5:33-34 NLTDesperation leads to restoration when our desperation leads us to God.While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.” Mark 5:35-36 NLTHe went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” The crowd laughed at him. Mark 5:37-39 NLT - You are the calm at the center of my storm! No situation is too far gone for God! Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed. Mark 5:41-42 NLT