A Desperate Father

Lives Restored : Miracles of Mark 5

One of the greatest lessons I learned when having my first novel edited was POV: Point of View.

I write in a narrative, omniscient style. This style isn’t as popular as it once was because of our fast-paced society. Many prefer clipped dialogue and action that moves the story along.

But I digress.

The point is, for each scene, I had to choose from whose point of view to write so as not to confuse the Reader.

The Bible isn’t fiction and here in Mark, we have an account of the things Jesus said and did during His ministry. We don’t get the same perspective fiction offers, but God’s omniscient Word often provides specific insights.

For example, Mark wasn’t even present during the events of Mark 5, yet in verse 28 he tells us, speaking of the woman healed, “For she said, ‘If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.’”

Clearly, this insight into her thoughts is a Divine revelation given to Mark as he wrote.

In contrast, the passage gives us no insight into what Jairus, the synagogue ruler, was thinking or feeling. Yet the text hints at his desperation.

Few synagogue rulers openly acknowledged Christ. Even the parents of the man born blind refused to confess the source of their son’s healing for fear of being thrown out of the synagogue. (John 9) Yet Jairus boldly pushes through the crowd, interrupting Jesus and falling at His feet in worship.

What had happened that caused this man to risk everything?

A Father’s love.

His daughter lay dying. Had already died, according to the account in Matthew, which we quickly learn in verse 35 of Mark’s account.

I can’t imagine the state of mind of Jairus at this moment. Willing to leave the bedside of his daughter in the last moments of her life because he believes there is One who can restore her to life.

Had he heard what Jesus had done for the Widow of Nain? Restoring her son to life from where he lay on a funeral bier. Luke records this miracle as happening before Jesus met with Jairus. Nain is fifty miles south of Capernaum, but Luke tells us, “this report of Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.”

We can’t know for sure what Jairus knew, but from his actions we can say:

His trust in Jesus was complete.

What about us?

Can we say the same? Is our faith in Jesus complete?

Do we just give Him lip service, or do we truly believe He is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do?

Hebrews 11:6 tells us, that without faith, it is impossible to please God.

I can attest to this: We often think we have great faith until that faith is tested.

Jairus’ faith challenges us to look inside ourselves and ask the hard question:

If that which we hold most dear was about to be taken from us . . .

. . .to whom would we go?

Shalom.

Photo Credit : @aaronburden on unsplash