“Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.”

Mark 5:21-43 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and so He stayed by the seashore.²² One of the synagogue officials named Jairus came up, and on seeing Him, fell at His feet ²³ and implored Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.” ²⁴ And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him.

²⁵ A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, ²⁶ and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse— ²⁷ after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. ²⁸ For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” ²⁹ Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. ³⁰ Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” ³¹ And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” ³² And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. ³³ But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. ³⁴ And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”

³⁵ While He was still speaking, they came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?” ³⁶ But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” ³⁷ And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James. ³⁸ They came to the house of the synagogue official; and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. ³⁹ And entering in, He said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep.”⁴⁰ They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was. ⁴¹ Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). ⁴² Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded.⁴³ And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat.

In today’s text there is an account of a woman who was healed simply by touching Jesus. It says:  A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse— after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”     It says: Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.  This woman experienced a tremendous miracle, but initially, rather than celebrate, it says:  The woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.  What was the woman afraid of? Was it that like many of us, she thought that she was unworthy of what she had received? Did she think that Jesus would condemn her and put her sickness back on her? The perception that God would punish someone for touching Him is derived from the lies of the devil. It is the devil who causes guilt, shame and condemnation.

When the woman touched Jesus, He felt power proceed from Him. But, it was not and is not that Jesus power was depleted. Jesus is all powerful. His power to heal is infinite. Healing power proceeds from Him whenever someone in needs seeks to touch Him. Far from being afraid, Hebrews 4:15-16 says:  We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.   We do not need to be afraid, because of God’s grace, because Jesus paid the price for all sin, including fear, we can come boldly to Him and obtain mercy and find grace.  It is true we might not always see the same result as the woman. Sometimes even when we seek in faith, the healing seems to elude us. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, the apsotle Paul relates a time that he sought healing. It says:  Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.   Even if we do not get the answer we hope for, we will always obtain mercy; there is always sufficient grace for our every need. I believe it is God’s will that we would be healed and whole. But I know that it is His promise that He will never leave or forsake us.  He will walk with us, guiding, protecting and comforting us along the way if we will trust in His perfect power.

Today’s text continues:   While He was still speaking, they came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?” But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the synagogue official; and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. And entering in, He said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep.” They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was.  Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”).  Immediately the girl got up… And immediately they were completely astounded.    Jesus says: “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.”  Things may not always be as they seem to be. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says:  We walk by faith, not by sight.  We need to believe what God says even when the world might laugh at us. Jesus taught us to pray saying:  Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  In heaven there is no sickness, no disease; no disabilities or infirmity. On the cross Jesus said:  “It is finished!” (John 19:30) Everything He came to do was fully accomplished on the cross. In Luke 4:18, at the beginning of His ministry, Jesus said:  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,And recovery of sight to the blind,To set free those who are oppressed.”      “It is finished!”  “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.”   “I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.
Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.