In both of the healing stories we read today, faith was a factor. Jairus believed that if Jesus would lay His hands upon his dying daughter, she would live. His faith was evident from his actions. First, he journeyed to Jesus who was by the seashore. And second, he made his way through a crowd, fell at Jesus’ feet, and publicly begged Him to come and lay His hands on his daughter, stating that she would live if He would. Only someone who had faith would do what Jairus did.
Also, when messengers from Jairus’ house told him that his daughter had died, we read, “Jesus ignored their comments and said to Jairus, O Don’t be afraid. Just trust me'” (Mark 5:36). Luke’s Gospel records Jesus saying, “Don’t be afraid. Just trust me, and she will be all right” (Luke 8:50). Naturally, Jairus was tempted to be afraid that his daughter would not be raised, but Jesus encouraged him to keep on believing. Obviously, Jairus’ faith played a key part in his daughter’s being raised from the dead.
The faith of the woman who had suffered for twelve years with internal bleeding also played an important role in her healing. Jesus plainly told her that it was her faith that had made her well (see Mark 5:34). Her faith was also evident by her actions. She, too, pressed through a crowd in order to touch Jesus. She had been thinking to herself, “If I can just touch his clothing, I will be healed” (Mark 5:28).
This helps us to understand better why more people aren’t divinely healed today. If more of us truly believed, more of us would be healed. But we have been brain-washed (or better said, “brain-dirtied”) to believe that God only chooses to heal some and not others. As a result, we doubt that we are among those whom God wants to heal, and our lack of faith stops our healing.
But this idea is proven to be biblically unsound by what we’ve just read. Obviously, healing is available to all who will believe, because the woman with internal bleeding was healed by Jesus even before He knew who had touched Him . He realized that power had gone out of Him for healing, but didn’t know who had been healed. Faith drew His healing power out, and it was available for anyone and everyone! The reason that woman believed Jesus would heal her was because she heard He never turned anyone away who came to Him requesting healing. She had heard that everyone who touched Him was healed.
This same story also disproves the idea that if it is God’s will for someone to be healed, He will automatically heal that person. It was obviously God’s will for the woman we just read about to be healed, but she wasn’t healed until she did something: she put her faith into action. It was and is Jesus’ will for everyone to be healed, but they have to do something. They have to put faith into action. It is just the same as salvation. God wants everyone to be saved, but not everyone is automatically saved. People have to believe the gospel.
One reason more preachers in America don’t teach this truth is because they know it offends proud people who refuse to acknowledge that their lack of faith stops them from being healed. They would rather put the blame on God and His supposed will not to heal everyone.
Even people who believe that God wants them to be healed aren’t always healed, because their faith is often very weak. I’ve personally experienced weak faith. But I would rather admit my weakness than say that God wants me to remain sick, contradicting His many healing promises. And I would rather have a weak faith that can grow stronger than be stuck with no faith for the rest of my life. And finally, I’m sure God would prefer weak or wavering faith over no faith at all!
Divine healing is a subject upon which we need to remain balanced. We shouldn’t think that God condemns us for our lack of faith, or that He is opposed to our seeking a doctor’s help. Jesus didn’t condemn the sick woman in today’s story for previously going to a doctor. But praise God that Jesus can fix anything doctors can’t! Let’s trust Him more!
Q. According to something we’ve read today, is there any time when we should ignore people’s comments?
A. Jesus ignored the negative reports that the messengers brought from Jairus’ home. When anyone says something that contradicts what God has said, it’s good to ignore it. We don’t want to be influenced to doubt. Perhaps that is also the reason why Jesus cleared all the mourners from Jairus’ house before He raised Jairus’ daughter. Their weeping and wailing could have influenced Jairus and his wife to doubt, drawing their attention away from Jesus’ promise to change their sad situation.
Q. Why do you suppose that Jesus commanded Jairus and his wife not to tell anyone what had happened?
A. Because Jesus already had more publicity than He needed. This also indicates that Jesus didn’t raise and heal the little girl to prove that He was God’s Son. He did it because He loved that family and wanted to help them.
Q. Why did Jesus instruct the parents to give their daughter some food?
A. Because her body needed nourishment, and Jesus was concerned that her parents, in their excitement, might overlook her need. Jesus really cares about people.
Application: Today we read about a man who had something restored that he’d cherished for twelve years (see Luke 8:42) but lost. And we read about a woman who had something removed that she wanted to be rid of for twelve years. Jesus intervened in both situations at the same time, restoring and removing, according to the need. He is wonderful!
