I don't normally put cartoons in my Quiet Times, but this one seemed appropriate. Calvin has questions about Santa Claus' existence. And then he points out the that he has the same questions about God. I believe this is a common thought, not just related to little children in comic strips, but something common among adults. Does God Exist? Prove it, he says. Well, that's just the thing. He already has. And time and time again. Do you believe in miracles? If yes, then there is proof of God. If not, then I don't know if a column by a little blogger such as myself can help you. You could read the Bible as simply a good book, as a college friend of mine did (or does), or you can read it as proof of God's existence. If you want to see God, then do it. If you do not want to see God, then I can't convince you otherwise. Believing in something or someone starts with you and there is nothing I can do to convince you.
Anyway, onto the Quiet Time.Mark 5:21-43
When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." So Jesus went with him.
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
"You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?'"
But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?"
Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."
He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" ). Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.
I had mentioned yesterday that the synagogue ruler's name was Jarius. Here we actually see it in the text that his name is Jarius. You also see more of the heart of the "bleeding woman" and her faith. Now, it is no secret that I had my hip replaced a couple of years ago. I had severe pain in my leg, so much pain that I was going to the hospital regularly for Morphine shots. And I was like that for two and a half years, with more frequent trips toward the latter part of that time.
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
"You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?'"
But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?"
Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."
He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" ). Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.
I had mentioned yesterday that the synagogue ruler's name was Jarius. Here we actually see it in the text that his name is Jarius. You also see more of the heart of the "bleeding woman" and her faith. Now, it is no secret that I had my hip replaced a couple of years ago. I had severe pain in my leg, so much pain that I was going to the hospital regularly for Morphine shots. And I was like that for two and a half years, with more frequent trips toward the latter part of that time.
And so here is this lady, bleeding for twelve years. Twelve years. I only suffered for two and a half. She was afflicted for more than four times that amount. She had to be depressed, hopeless, broke, and Biblically speaking, she was unclean. And still, she had hope, faith and love. I would also venture that Jesus had abounding love and knew she was there. And when she touched his clothes, just his clothes, mind you, she was healed. That was her love of God, her desperateness to be healed, and her faith in Jesus coming out. Can you imagine the abounding love she had after she was healed? The overwhelming gratitude toward God from being freed from such an affliction? I would be willing to bet that she kept that in her mind and thoughts for the rest of her life. The rest of her life... simply because I think about my hip daily (easily, mind you).
Do you think she was an example of love to others? Do you think that maybe, just maybe, that she then turned her efforts to help bring them peace? I would think so. If she didn't act immediately, she acted when she truly realized her blessing. Johnny Out.
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