Her life ended as theirs began. Or maybe they both started to end at the same time. I was reading in Luke this past weekend and I found four words that I had never noticed before.
When I read the Bible I read the section three times, once just to read it, twice to make highlights, and the third time to write notes. The second time I saw these four words in Luke 8.42, "about twelve years old," the age of Jairus' daughter was almost 12. I have no idea how many times I have read this story, but her age has never stood out to me.
The next verse talks about a woman who had been hemorrhaging for 12 years. When this happened she was ceremonially unclean in the Jewish world. She was unable to associate with people or take place in worship services. Her life was over, she was a social outcast, and no one could make her well, no doctor.
Jesus comes back to Capernaum from Gergesa and people are waiting for him. Jairus, the leader of the synagogue there, comes to him and says that his daughter is dying and asks Jesus to come and heal her. I have seen one story portrayal which has his daughter being sick her whole life and finally dies here, maybe that is the case, so maybe as soon as she was born they lived dreading the day she would die, the day they would have to let her go. But maybe this was a sudden illness that had grabbed her just as she was starting to enter womanhood. Either way his world is crashing down at this moment.
On the way the hemorrhaging woman works her way through the crowd to get to Jesus, knowing that if she can just touch the edge of his robe she will be healed. She touches him, and the Bible says he stops and asks who touched him, it says that he felt the power leave him. As this man's world is crashing Jesus is wondering who pulled on his sleeve! The woman comes forward and she tells him her story, he says to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace." He gives her life back to her. She is no longer a social outcast because of her condition, she can now live her life as a member of the community.
As this happens someone comes from Jairus' house and tells him his daughter has died. His world has just ended. This woman had gotten her life back, but now he feels his is over. His daughter, his princess, is gone. The person who brought the news tells him to leave Jesus alone, but Jesus hears this and says, "Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be made well."
They go to the house, Jesus takes three disciples and her parents with him, he tells here to get up and she does. His world has been restored, his life has been given back to him.
Two miracles 12 years in the making, two worlds, two lives, ended, but two lives where restored. For twelve years this woman goes around as a social outcast, and possibly for 12 years this father has been wondering if his little girl will make it. But the whole time God is at work. Then finally he comes to them, and restores their lives.
I look at life, right now things are going well for me, but the last few months were rough. I spent a lot of time wondering, asking a lot of questions. And finally last week I was watching Brave Heart and God gave me my answer, "Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it." Life was restored.
I got two text messages in the last three days from two of my Proverbs 18.24 brothers, both of them going through rough times. But I know that God is working. The whole time that I was struggling God was at work, and I know that as my brothers struggle God is at work.
These miracles were 12 years in the making, but when they occurred two lives were fully restored. There was a song I used to love as a child, "He's still working on me, to make me what I ought to be. It took him just a week to make the moon and stars, the sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars. How loving and patient he must be, he's still working on me." Even if the answer is 12 years in the making when Jesus restores your life it is totally worth it. For 23 years I've been searching for something, something that I thought I had finally found, but right now it looks like I'm still searching, and that's ok. "Your heart is free." Yes, God has delivered it, God has given it back to me. The question is will I "have the courage to follow it."?
It won't always be the easiest road, but the road is worth it, because the road leads to Jesus and restoration.
Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it!
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