While he yet spake, they come from the ruler of the synagogue’s house saying, “Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Teacher any further?”

But Jesus, not heeding the word spoken, saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, “Fear not, only believe” (Mark 5:35-36).

The dreaded news had arrived.

Jairus knew that the time was short; he hastened to Jesus and implored Him to heal his daughter, sick near death (cf. Mark 5:22-23).  Jairus knew that if Jesus got to her before she died she could be delivered from the illness.  But the crowd pressed firmly upon Jesus, and He took time out to hear the confession of faith of the woman healed from the issue of blood (cf. Mark 5:24-34).

Too much time had been taken.  The girl was dead.

This news is brought to Jairus; according to those who came from his house, there was no more need to bother Jesus the Teacher.  And yet, in the midst of this despair and distress, Jesus provides a compelling message for Jairus: do not fear – only believe. What would Jairus do?

It would be entirely understandable if he went with conventional wisdom and no longer bothered the Teacher.  His daughter was dead.  One of the few guarantees in life is that once you are dead, you are dead and finished.  Sure, Jesus had healed all kinds of sick people and cast out many demons – but He had not yet raised anyone from the dead.  It was a great hope while it lasted – but now all hope was gone.  The girl was no more.

Yet, on the other hand, why is Jesus so nonchalant about the matter?  Did Jesus not know how close she was to death?  Why did Jesus delay?  Why does He not pay any attention to the terrible news?  Jesus is being hailed as the Prophet, the Son of God, with great authority.  And now He says to not fear but only believe.

How many times do we find ourselves in a position similar to that of Jairus?  There are many times in our lives when our situation seems bleak and hopeless.  According to all appearances and conventional wisdom, there is nothing left to do but lose hope and be afraid.  Distress encompasses us.  Trials beset us.  We have all kinds of reasons to no longer trouble the Teacher and to go on our own way.

And yet the voice of Jesus may still call to us to not fear and only believe. This message should not be distorted or improperly expanded to indicate that all we ever need to do is just believe.  Trust and confidence in God and Christ demand that we do what they say to do – if we do not do the Lord’s commandments, we prove that we are not trusting in Him (cf. Romans 6:16-23, James 2:14-26, 1 Peter 1:22, 1 John 2:3-6).

But there are many times in life when, if we were walking by sight/appearance, we would lose hope.  It is in those times that we must walk by faith – trusting that the Lord is there, that the Lord is good, and that God is willing to do far more than even what we desire (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:7, Ephesians 3:20-21).  God can do the mighty actions; it is our place to trust in Him.

But there have always been and always will be reason to laugh at that trust.  There are always reasons to lose all hope and to be afraid.  There is never a lack of political uncertainty, economic uncertainty, medical uncertainty, and even environmental uncertainty.  There are always various reasons to doubt God, to be afraid of what is happening to us or what we fear is about to happen to us, and to decide to no longer bother the Teacher.

We can read about Jairus’ choice: he believed and Jesus raised his daughter from the dead and restored her to full health (Mark 5:37-43).  God was able to do more for him than he could have imagined.  And so it is with us.  Whenever we are assailed by doubt, fear, uncertainty, and hopelessness, let us remember the words of our Lord.

Do not fear.  Only believe.

lesson by Ethan R. Longhenry