Text: Mark 5:21-43
Event(s): Jairus’ daughter is raised and the woman with the hemorrhage is healed
In most Bibles that include subtitles to break up sections and events, notice that these two stories are listed as one, “A girl is restored to life and a woman healed“. How often it is that our story, or our miracle, starts in someone else’s story. Us stepping out in faith could produce a domino effect that causes someone else to step out in faith. Our humility (as evidenced by Jairus falling at Jesus’ feet in vs 22) could inspire someone else’s humility. Our miracle could give someone else courage to believe God for their miracle.
Mark 5:23 “my little daughter” vs 42 tells us she was 12 years old, which is an important detail as we look at these miracles side by side.
Mark 5:25 “had a flow of blood for twelve years” I believe that one of the things that gave this woman courage to step out in faith and believe that Jesus could heal her was that she saw a glimpse of herself in the life of the little girl. She was associating with the faith/story of the little daughter. In fact, it stands out to me that Jesus, after healing her, addresses her as, “Daughter” in vs 34. It’s the only time throughout the Gospels that we find Jesus addressing someone as “daughter”.
Mark 5:26 “She had spent all that she had…” Isn’t it true that many times, it’s not until we reach the end of ourselves that we turn to God for help?
Mark 5:32 “And He looked around to see her” Faith is visible to God. This woman hadn’t said anything, yet in the midst of a crowd, where people were all pushing their way to Jesus, as He turned to look around, searching through the faces, it was her faith that allowed Him to spot her. I can’t help but think of 2 Chronicles 16:9a, “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth so that He may support those whose heart is completely His.” (AMP)
Mark 5:38 “saw a tumult (an uproar) and those who wept and wailed loudly” During these times, when someone would die, it was customary for the families to hire “professional mourners.” (see Jeremiah 9:17 and Amos 5:16) So the scene here, to put it frankly, was full of drama – not with earnest or sincere grief, it was superficial. In verse 40, we read Jesus “put them all outside”. Jesus removed the faithless out of the way. God knows the contrite and broken in heart; He knows those who will worship in Spirit and truth – not just commotion and weeping.
Today’s Takeaway: When we’re believing God for a miracle, or holding on to a dream, or waiting for God’s direction about something, a great key to guarding of our faith and “not letting fear creep in, but keep believing” (as Jesus instructed Jairus to do), is to not surround ourselves with the faithless.
Additional (optional) reading: The parallel accounts of this event can be found in Matthew 9:18-26 and Luke 8:40-56
Linda G Riddle 