Jairus

Extract 59
It wasn't over then. A short while later news spread that Jesus had freed a demonised man in Gerasa and that they were all on their way back. By the time they returned, the crowd was even bigger than in the morning. As the disciples and Jesus got out of the boat they were immediately swallowed by the crowd. I feared then that he would be crushed, so many people pressing against him. Then there was a cry from the far side of the crowd and incredibly a path was made through to Jesus. We realised it must be someone of importance and then the someone recognised him – it was Jairus the ruler of the local Synagogue. Immediately my mind went back to that moment in our synagogue. The crowd kept me from my son, it didn't help when the Synagogue leaders wanted to kill him but now they parted to make way for this one. But my anger melted when I heard his story. His 12 year old daughter was dying. They'd tried everything, spent everything and now he was humbling himself before Jesus, pleading for him to come and heal his daughter.

I'll never forget the change in his face when Jesus said yes. From despair to hope. I knew that change.

I prayed for him and his daughter.

Extract 60
They turned to go and out of the corner of my eye I saw a woman, forcing her way through the crowd, obviously desperate. Just as Jesus turned to leave, with the last bit of strength, she finally got close enough to touch the edge of his clothes. Immediately the crowd swallowed her again, by now she was on her knees and I was afraid she would get trampled. But Jesus stopped and asked 'Who touched me?' It seemed an extraordinary question. Everyone was touching him, he could barely move for people. But he didn't mean physical touch, he meant that someone had touched him with faith, with the raw pleading that comes when all else has gone. Realising she could not hide, the woman stood up slowly, discovering as she did that she had been healed. No longer hesitant she began to pour out her story. For 12 years she had bled, drained of strength, unclean, isolated and hopeless.

Until she touched Jesus.

Extract 61
Jairus was beside himself, now he knew that Jesus could heal, but instead of hurrying to his daughter, Jesus sat down with this woman and insisted that she tell him her whole story. It was wonderful to witness this woman being healed and restored. I understand isolation and loneliness - my heart melted as my son gently drew her back into society. Giving her back her body had taken a second, giving her back her dignity, her self-worth took much longer!

Here with this important man waiting, Jesus gave her his full attention. I've never seen anything like it.

Extract 62
After what seemed like an age, she drew her story to a close. Fully restored she stood up, head held high, surrounded by new friends. Jesus and Jairus turned again to go to his house, but as they did so, some servants arrived from their home with dreadful news. 'There's no point troubling the teacher any more. Your daughter is dead'. It was brutal, final, in such contrast to the joy we had just witnessed. I can't imagine how Jairus must have felt. He'd seen Jesus heal, if he had gone straight away... But Jesus was calm 'Just keep believing, your daughter will be well, this death isn't the final word'. We followed of course, but only Jairus and Jesus’ closest friends went into the house. I found myself standing next to Hannah, the woman who had just been healed. We held hands and prayed together for this devastated family. After a few minutes the sound of wailing from the mourners changed to shrieks then someone burst out of the house and shouted 'She's alive!' and then Jairus appeared with the little girl in his arms, clearly well and wondering what all the fuss was about. The crowd became silent and one by one we knelt in awe and worship.

Quietly Hannah turned to me and whispered 'Your son Mary, who is he?' then finally, 'Twelve years I suffered, twelve years this girl brought joy. Two people from opposite sides of society, from opposite sides of the crowd. Two of us in desperate need drawn to your son. He calms storms, casts out demons, heals the sick, raises the dead. Who is he Mary?'