DAILY WORD OF GOD FROM TIMI KARAMO

Today : The Child of Jairus

While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue ruler’s house saying, “Your daughter has died. Why trouble the teacher any longer?” — Mark 5:35 NET

So it seemed that Jesus had tarried too long on the road. To us it may appears that He ought not to 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 hasten on and get to her bedside before she died? But 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 incident is, that Jesus is never in a hurry. He is never so much engrossed in one case of need 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 hear instantly our cry for need.

A little child’s idea of God’s listening to her was that when she began to pray God bade all the angels be quiet, saying, “I hear a noise, a little girl’s noise;” 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; yet the child was not far wrong.

Another thing we lean from this delay is, that Jesus never comes too late, never waits too long. It certainly seemed that He had tarried too long this time; but when we see how it all came out, we are sure that He made no mistake. True, the child died while He lingered; but this only gave Him an opportunity for a greater miracle. He waited that He might do a more glorious work. There is always some good reason for it when Christ delays to answer our prayers or come to our help. He waits that He may do far more for us in the end. Even “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” So we have one more 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.