This Christian life is a walk of faith. Trusting Christ every step of the way. Through the good, the bad, the ugly, and the pretty. But so many of us start to lose our faith when things seem to get worse. We walk with Christ when things are good but when the situation takes a “wrong” turn (at least in our eyes) or we get bad news we instantly think: “What happened? Everything was A-OKAY and now it’s not. Where are you God?” Believe me, He is right there with you. Let’s take a look:
The Situation
And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was an official of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he began to plead with Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying…
Luke 8:41-42 (LSB)
We are presented with a situation. In this case, a terribly hard one. Jairus’s daughter is on the verge of death at only 12 years old. If you have kids you can imagine the feeling in his heart at the moment. If you don’t have kids (myself included) I can only pray to understand what his heart must be feeling.
However, Jairus heard of this man named Jesus. This man seems to be working miracles left and right and certainly had the ability to save his daughter. “But isn’t he an official of the synagogue and don’t most of those guys hate Jesus?” Certainly, but when it comes to your twelve year old daughter dying you will do anything to save her. Mini lesson: We come to Jesus fastest when we are most attentive of our need for Him.
Now Jairus begins to walk with Jesus to his house. I’m sure he wanted to run as fast as he could because, remember, his daughter “was dying…”. There is a clock here. At any moment she could die.
The Situation Made Worse
“…someone came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, ‘Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher anymore.’”
Luke 8:49 (LSB)
Before you make your judgments and before you pretend that your faith would be any better than Jairus’s just stop. He was just told his daughter is dead. In his mind the only thing running through it is: “It’s too late. It’s too late. It’s too late. If only Jesus was faster. If only I would have come to Him sooner.” Oh! What a heart of despair! How could we imagine it!
Maybe the same thing has happened, is happening, or will happen to you. You are trusting Jesus to work in your life. Walking with Him at His pace when all of a sudden someone outside comes and tells you that things have only become worse. Then they hit you with that serpent-like phrase: “do not trouble the Teacher anymore.” Remember when Jesus called Peter ‘Satan’? I am tempted to do the same to anyone who would tempt you or I with this phrase. But I digress, let’s move on:
But when Jesus heard this, He answered him, “Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be saved.”
Luke 8:50
Jesus knew that Jairus’s heart was broken. He understood the heart of a Father. So rather than responding to the critics, or the people around, He gracefully looks into the eyes of Jairus and speaks an eternal truth that all of us must cling onto for dear life:
DO NOT BE AFRAID – ONLY BELIEVE
Oh fellow Christian would you listen to these words? When things get worse, when the road takes a sharp turn, when you get the bad news, when the loved one dies, when the car stops running, when the day turns dark, please oh please listen to our Savior: “Do not be afraid – Only Believe.”
You know what Jesus did? He walked right into that house – and as people were mocking Him because they were sure that daughter was dead – He saved her. End of story.
Same God. Same Lord. Same Savior. Same King. Same Jesus. Lives in you. When things get worse … Do not be afraid – only believe.
Respond
- Praise God for His providence and His promise that He will work all things for your good
- Confess to God your unbelief and lack of trust in Jesus when things get worse
- Ask God to “help [your] unbelief”!