By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

Wednesday, Jan 14, 2009

SCRIPTURE:
^“While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler.  "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?" Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe." (Mark 5:35-36, NIV)

Observations:
I asked myself who are the characters involved?

I asked myself what was the role of the ‘men from the house of Jairus’?
They came to Jairus, the synagogue ruler who was with Jesus to tell him, “Your daughter is dead, why bother the teacher anymore?"

Interpretations:
I asked myself what could have been going through the mind of Jairus when he heard the words, “Your daughter is dead, why bother the teacher anymore.”

Jairus could have thought what had happened few minutes ago with his encounter with Jesus:
“Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." So Jesus went with him." (Mark 5:22-24, NIV)

Jairus would have been in so much pain and agony after hearing the words from the men regarding his daughter. It would have been that much more painful to him because He knew it was God’s will to heal his little dying daughter when he saw Jesus, fell at His feet and pleaded earnestly with Jesus which is equivalent to praying to Jesus regarding his little daughter who was dying, and received an answer from Jesus. Jesus was willing to go with Jairus to his house to heal his little daughter who was dying.

Emotions could be rolling like a blazing thunder through his mind thinking, this cannot be happening because he was so sure it was God’s will to heal his little daughter. If it was God’s will then she could not have died. He was still with Jesus and knew that Jesus was going to his house. Now he is told not to bother with the teacher anymore because the men were telling him indirectly it was not God’s will to heal his daughter.

As a human being it could have made him wonder and doubt, was it really God’s will to heal my little dying daughter or not. Because if it was, she would not have died like the men had told him.

Whatever may have been going through his mind, Jesus would have known about it and Jesus addressed Jairus, the synagogue ruler in front of the men who had told him the bad news.

Observation:
I asked myself what the role of Jesus was?
Jesus was on his way to see Jairus’ little daughter who was dying. On the way, though he encountered a woman who wanted healing from Jesus. Jesus stopped to talk to the woman, addressed her as daughter, telling her to go in peace and how her faith had healed her from her disease.

Now after Jairus heard the tragic news about his little daughter, Jesus addresses him in front of the crowd by doing two things:

Interpretation:
I asked myself what is the significance of Jesus ignoring the remarks of the men?
Jairus believed it was God’s will to have Jesus heal his daughter and he believed so much that he stuck with Jesus while Jesus was coming to his house. Now, people Jairus knew come to tell him figuratively it is not God’s will for your daughter to have lived so don’t bother the teacher anymore.

Jesus must have been annoyed with the men. Usually when someone is annoyed or not telling the truth, they are told to be ignored. Jesus tells Jairus to figuratively ignore the men in front of the crowd. In other words, Jesus is telling Jairus to believe what he believed all along after seeking Jesus in prayer. What Jesus wanted Jairus to believe was that it was in God’s will to see his little dying daughter better as he had believed regardless of what was happening around him and how the circumstances looked. This is evident by Jesus confirming to Jairus what he had come to believe by two declarative statements:

"Don’t be afraid and just believe!"

In other words, no matter how the situation looks around you, Jesus was telling him to have peace that his daughter will be alright! This is exciting to know!

Jairus did believe in what Jesus was telling him. This is evident because they proceed to the house of Jairus. Interestingly something happens after Jesus addresses Jairus regarding the men’s statement.

To be continued.....

Implications:
Jesus had given Jairus peace amidst the turmoil by comforting Jairus and proceeded to address what Jairus had come to believe was God’s will. However, it was in God’s timing and His way He would work in the life of Jairus daughter.

Just as Jesus told Jairus to believe in what Jesus was going to do for him, Jesus wants me to believe what He will do for me. In the meantime, just as Jairus continued to invite Jesus into his house to accomplish His will in his daughter’s life, Jesus wants me to hold on to Him to accomplish what I believe is God’s will.

I ask you now dear friend, whose timing are you following this New Year of 2009?
Dear friend, we learned from this passage that Jairus believed in God’s will for his dying little daughter which was supposed to be healing for her while she was alive. However, as we know that is not exactly what had happened! What Jairus believed to be God’s will occurred but it happened in a different way!

Jairus did not follow what the men had told him but continued to follow Jesus and His timing. That is exciting to know friend. Many times when we sense God’s will for something, we could be so excited and thrilled. When there are obstacles hindering that will, we can become confused. But our Lord is not an Author of confusion. If you believe in something to be God’s will for your life, and go out in faith, He will rectify the situation so you will have blessings His way.

And friend, if there are areas in your life that you are struggling or areas in your life you are looking for an answer such as your hopes and dreams to come true, know this: You are loved by the Creator of the Universe who created you. He knows what your hopes and dreams are and even when you think they are dead, if Jesus wants them to come true, nothing can stop that from happening so rejoice. Jesus will not abandon you to go your own way. There will be times He will take our hopes and dreams and fill it with His hopes and dreams for our lives which will be that much more fruitful.

Wait on the Lord Jesus and don't give up. You may feel so and so is definitely what God's Will for you is but now you see obstacles and even a sense of feeling that 'this dream is dead why bother with it anymore' but don't go on that path and give up. Our hopes and dreams in the Hands of the Father can never be dead but resurrected as we hold on to Him and wait on Him.

At other times, when our hopes and dreams are not aligned with God's Will and we seek after Him, He will provide us with better hopes and dreams that will give us the joy of the Lord.

So, in every situation, God’s will and timing need to be aligned. Friend, whatever God’s will for us is, He will give us His peace and we can go on. We should not expect God to speak to us immediately too for He expects us to do our part in faith and wait on Him. Usually through circumstances or communication (His Word, His Spirit through prayer and fasting or through His people), He reveals His will in careers, academics, or relationships and any other situation you are faced with.

It is not important just to know God’s will for an area of your life but also know His timing and rest in Him. When His will and timing are perfect, what we believe to be God’s will shall come to pass.

Friend, we can be following our own timing for things and can become very disappointed if what we hope for does not come to pass but when we wait on the Lord Jesus and His timing, even though currently the wait maybe painful and stressful, the awesome news is, we will be filled with joy later in God's timing when what we prayed for and hoped for comes to pass if that is the will of God. If it is not the will of God, then God will give us the strength to bear it and move on showing us another direction.

Speaking of timing and God's will, friend I want you to know that Jesus loves you so much that He went to the cross and died for your sin shedding His precious cleansing blood. He then came back to life on the third day to save all those that received His free gift of grace.

Our Lord desires that none should perish but all come to repentance and so waits for you with open arms to come to Him like the prodigal son who went away to do his own things and then returned to the father.

We all have been dead in our transgressions with no way out. No matter what we did on our own cannot give us access to Heaven because all our good works become filthy rags to the Lord without Christ's Hand upon them. So, no one can be really good without Christ in their lives. But with Christ, our lives can be transformed and changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is His grace imparted upon our lives in His timing that frees us.

Now is the time for your Salvation friend if you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Personal Savior. You need not wait for a perfect time when the day is right, the month is right, etc to turn to Jesus but you can do it right now. Ask Jesus to come into your life and transform you. Spiritually, He will and give you a new beginning this New Year of 2009.

May you rest in the Lord and find peace in Him knowing He loves you so much and cares for you.

“Timing Is Messiah’s Involvement Nurturing Graciously!” (T.I.M.I.N.G)/"Whose T.I.M.I.N.G are you following this New Year of 2009?"

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much that we are never out of your love. No matter what is tormenting us, you are there for us. When there are days we cannot get through and loneliness has gotten the best of us because we are isolated in our torment and sin, you are still there. Just as the demon-possessed man saw you, ran to you, and fell before you for healing, we can come to you too. Thank you Jesus! You made yourself available to the man with the evil spirit. Thank you Jesus for making yourself available to us now when we call your Name for we are never out of your love and never out of your reach. You Oh Lord know what we have done; you know what we will do. You know what Satan will do to entice us and torment us. We come to you Lord and ask you for your healing presence in our lives. Take any addiction and torment that people face and fill them with your power to live for you. We know you can do it Jesus. Only you have the power to deliver us from any torment and find peace in you. Thank you so much Jesus. We come to you now Jesus and ask you to forgive us of all our sin. Deliver us Oh Lord and cleanse us with your cleansing blood. We believe in you Jesus; we believe you are the Son of God, we believe that you died and rose again; we believe you are here right now standing in our presence with the power to heal now and the grace to forgive. Help us Oh Lord as we turn this song “I Believe” into a prayer to you Oh Lord. Thank you so much for coming into our heart and making our heart your home as we ask you in. Take us in Oh Lord and be our Lord and Personal Savior as you lead us and guide us. Help us to help others as you help us! Thank you so much Jesus you are in our heart making our heart your home. Thank you for living in us. Thank you for being our Lord and Personal Savior! Thank you Jesus you have heard our prayers and answered us! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!