Tuesday, February 4, 2014

I wanted to punch Jesus

+AMDG+


"Do not be afraid, just have faith."
-Mark 5:36

Sometimes I read the Gospel and Jesus amazes me. I know I should be amazed by the healing of the woman with the hemorrhage or even the girl that Jesus raises from the dead!!! But I was more amazed at Jesus telling a father whose daughter just died, "Do not be afraid, just have faith." If that was me I probably would have punched Jesus. I would have cursed at him, told him to get away from me and all I know is that I would have been very, very angry.  I can imagine that father doing everything he could have for his daughter when she was sick. Taking her to different doctors or visiting "healers," bargaining with God, anything to help his daughter. He was a synagogue official so the guy had money. I imagine he went to Jesus as a last resort just because he heard stories of what Jesus did. What was that journey like? What thoughts must have ran though his mind? "MY daughter is dying!!! My daughter is going to die and this Jesus is my LAST hope! Oh G-d please let this work!"

Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying,
“My daughter is at the point of death.
Please, come lay your hands on her
that she may get well and live.”

Here is a man of power, well respected, and someone who "has it together." He is at the end of his rope with no where to turn. He comes to, Jesus, a HOMELESS Preacher and throws himself at Jesus' feet. What was everyone in the crowd thinking at this point? I just imagine a silence that came over everyone there. No one in the crowd in their whole life has probably ever seen that before; of seeing a person of power throwing himself at the feet of a homeless person. And then he says this prayer to Jesus which I am sure many parents of the sick, or whose children are on drugs, have said:

“My daughter is at the point of death.
Please, come lay your hands on her
that she may get well and live.”

This is a story about trust and vulnerability and deep, deep, faith.  To hear that your daughter has just died and for Jesus to say, "Do not be afraid, just have faith," this Jairus had real faith. And maybe I read this and get angry because I do not have the faith Jairus yet. I do not have the faith of father who just wants to saves his dying child and will do whatever it takes to save her. Lord I want a deeper faith so I can really see You for who You are! I know this is selfish Lord and I ask that you come lay your hands on me so that I may get well and live!

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