"Do Not Fear, Only Believe"

June 11

Read: Mark 5:21-43

“Do not fear, only believe.” - Jesus

These are the words of Jesus to a father who thinks he has just lost his daughter. “Do not fear… only believe”. I have a hard time imagining that moment… putting myself in that Father’s shoes. In essence, this is what Christ tells us each day… “do not fear, only believe”.

Jesus is calling us to believe in his TIMING. Have you ever felt that Jesus was showing up “late”… that he took “too long” to get there? I am sure Jairus was tempted to respond that way. Jesus’ timing was directed by the Father… Jesus is never early and he is never late… but always right on time. The truth us that the Lord WANTED Jesus to linger there. It meant blessing for the woman who was healed but it also meant that Jairus would experience something unheard of before in the narrative: his daughter would be raised from the dead. This moment of fear and sadness was intentional, it paved the way for even greater rejoicing and a miracle.

When Jesus arrives, he only brings into the room the disciples and the girl’s father and mother. (v.40) This small group experiences this powerful miracle - a girl raised from the dead. Jesus’ play on words draws laughs from the crowd. In the ancient world a euphemism for death is going to sleep. When Jesus said, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” .. the crowd laughed at him. Why? Did they think it was a joke?/ Did they think Jesus was naive? Sometimes when we “do not fear and only believe” those around us will laugh - they may think we are joking or that we are naive… neither are true. Jesus is asking us to believe in his TRUTH… his VANTAGE POINT… his PERSPECTIVE. The vantage point of the believer is one that is shaped by what the Lord says to be true.

The people who “laughed” got put outside. (v.40) You will remain on the outside of what God is doing if you persist in thinking that his ways are a joke or that it is naive to trust in them. You are not fit to experience the miracles of God if you think they are a joke or that believing they can happen is ill-informed or naive. I wonder how the crowds felt when the little girl walked out?

One final observation is the way that Jesus tells them to “give her something to eat.” (v.43) I suppose it really takes it out of you to die and them come back to life! LOL. My friends Hugh and Matthew made the point one day that this eating would prove to those around her that she truly was alive… in a body… that it was really her. I like to think of the way that eating food is the natural process that God created to make us stronger. It is the NORMAL way we gain energy and rebuild our body. The picture here is that Jesus works miraculously and yet also leans into the natural methods that God put into the universe. In short, this girl was being miraculously nourished and strengthened while at the same time being normally nourished and strengthened. This is the Kingdom of God - the miraculous and the normal merged together!

Hear these words from Jesus today “DO NOT FEAR, ONLY BELIEVE”. Believe in his timing. Believe in his goodness. Believe in his power. Believe in his miracles. Believe in his methods… his merging together of the supernatural and the natural. I don’t know what it is that weighs on you today… but the call of Jesus is the same for all of us! Love you guys. - JDP