The Gospel of Luke

This devotional is written by Heidi Watt. Heidi has just started a new puzzle of the Moomins, which she loves. 

Luke 8:40-56

Jesus raises a dead girl and heals a sick woman

40 Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42 because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.
As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years,[a] but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
45 ‘Who touched me?' Jesus asked.
When they all denied it, Peter said, ‘Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.'
46 But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.'
47 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. 48 Then he said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.'
49 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.'
50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, ‘Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.'
51 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. 52 Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. ‘Stop wailing,' Jesus said. ‘She is not dead but asleep.'
53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and said, ‘My child, get up!' 55 Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Reflection

I love this passage and have very vivid memories watching it on the Miracle Maker as a child, if you haven't watched it, I'd really recommend...

Now, let's go back to the crowd.

Jesus is on his way to Jairus' house and a lady amongst the many people has just touched his robe so she might be healed. Jesus could ignore the fact that power left him when the lady touches him, especially as this child didn't have long left to live, yet he stops and asks who it was. Peter, possibly ‘hurrying' him, politely says "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you" or maybe "Don't worry about that, this girl about to die!". God works outside of our timing. The young girl was going to be healed, but it was important for Jesus at this moment to make a point of the fact, that because of this lady's faith she was healed, otherwise, she'd have gone unnoticed as she had wished. If this was the case we wouldn't know about her today for our faith to be challenged. Anybody could have touched him as Peter says, but it is because she BELIEVED that she was healed. That didn't stop Jesus healing Jairus' daughter, he just did it in his own time.

We can often be tempted to hurry what God is doing. God can work into the deepest depths of your past and far into your future but it may not happen instantly. Hope is not lost. Hold on to that last bit of faith you have because this is faith that after 12 years made this woman well. This faith is what can resurrect a life. Is there anything in your life right now that seems hopeless? Things where you think, ‘not even faith in God could change this, It's too far gone'. Pray into it, keep praying and trust in him! God has got you.

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