Friedrich Overbeck – Christ Resurrects the Daughter of Jairus – WGA16795 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Here’s Today‘s Devotional from The Vine..
While he was still speaking, they came from the synagogue ruler’s house saying, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?” - Mark 5:35
So it seemed that Jesus had taken too long on the road. To us it may appear that He should not have stopped at all to heal or talk with the woman. The child of Jairus was dying and there was not a moment to lose. Why did the Master not hurry and get to her bedside before she died? When we read the story through to the end, we are glad that He did stop to heal and help the woman. One thing we learn from this encounter is that Jesus is never in a hurry. He is never so tied up in one case that He cannot stop to give attention to another. He is never so pressed for time that we have to wait our turn. No matter what He is doing, He will always instantly hear our cry for need.
A young girl’s idea of God listening to her was that when she began to pray she thought God made all the angels be quiet, saying, “I hear a noise, a little girl’s voice;” and then all the angels kept perfectly still till she said Amen. The angels need not be hushed for God to hear the humblest little one pray.
Another thing we learn from this delay is that Jesus never comes too late. He never waits too long. It certainly seemed that He had taken too long this time. But when we see how it all came out in the end, we know that He made no mistake. True, the child died while He waited; but this only gave Him an opportunity for a greater miracle. He waited so that He could do a more miraculous work. There is always some good reason when Christ seems to delay an answer to our prayers or come to help us. He waits so He may do far more for us in the end. Even “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” So we have another lesson on letting our Lord have His own way with us, even in answering our prayers. He knows best when to answer, and what answer to give.
