A WORD FOR TODAY, April 11, 2025
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, April 11, 2025
“Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises. Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will heal him who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.” James 5:13-16, WEB
I am at the point in my health journey that I’m at a roadblock. The medicines that I was on helped, but now that I don’t need them anymore, I’ve experienced some bounce back. Two steps forward, one step back, if you know what I mean. I have to convince myself daily that I’ve done well, that I am in a good place. I am reminded how far I have come every time I see a photo of my old self. I visited a friend this week that I hadn’t seen for a few years, and she was shocked. “You look so different,” she said. I know I do, but sometimes I don’t really think it is true. I confess that I am impatient. I want the quick fix. I want to overcome the latest hurtle and I have read books and watched videos promising the change I want. I am tempted, but doubtful. Will this really be the answer? I do the only thing that will really make a difference: I pray.
I have to be patient. God reminds me every day at how much He has done for me, so I promise to wait. I promise to listen. I promise to keep on a path of good health, eating right, exercising, resting, and keeping my eyes on Jesus. I take a few supplements, but I know none of them will be short term solutions. I am not trying to have a twenty-year-old body, I’m trying to have a body that will give me a long and happy life. Everyone has advice. Some advice comes from people who want to sell me their book or their program or their juice that will change my body in weeks. Some advice comes from friends who have found their own path to health. Some of the advice has been helpful, if only in helping me get into a better mindset. There are always naysayers who doubt everything, and while they might help make good decisions, sometimes the negative advice keeps us from trusting God who has our best interest at heart.
The Gospels tell us the story of Jairus, a synagogue ruler in need of help: his twelve-year old daughter was ill, and he pleaded with Jesus for help. As Jesus and the disciples were making their way to Jairus’ house, the crowd followed and pressed in on them. Luke even tells us that the crowd almost crushed Him. A woman who had been bleeding for twelve years touched the hem of Jesus’ cloak and was healed. Jesus asked, “Who touched me?” but the disciples just brushed it off; “Don’t you see the crowds?” they said. It could have been anyone. It was probably someone who just got too close.
We know the story well. It is part of our lectionary, and it is often used in devotions about faith. There is so much in this story to consider: Jairus and his trust in Jesus, the woman and her faith, the disciples and their practical point of view, the crowds and their desire to be near Jesus.
But today we are going to look at those we usually ignore: the people from Jairus’ house. While Jesus was dealing with the bleeding woman, the people told Jairus, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher anymore?” Jesus answered, “Don’t be afraid, only believe.” They continued on their way to Jairus’ house. Despite the wailing and ridicule of the mourners, Jesus went in and raised the child.
So, what do we make of these people from Jairus’ house? What were they thinking? How did they react to Jesus’ confidence? Jairus was an important man, I am sure they were afraid to tell him the bad news. Were they upset or offended by Jesus’ comment about the daughter being made well? After all, Jesus’ encouragement to Jairus might have seemed critical of those who’d seen the dead girl. How could Jesus know that the child could be healed? Did they have faith in Jesus, like Jairus? Or were they concerned that Jairus the synagogue leader would turn to this strange teacher? Were they truly concerned about not bothering Jesus, or were they looking for an excuse to get Jairus away from the dangerous “prophet?”
And what can we learn from these people? We have all encountered people who are naysayers, who see no hope in any situation. They come to us in the midst of our trials and say, “There is no reason to trouble Jesus about this.” Too many of them offer something they claim will be the quick fix, the easy path. They want to sell us healing or peace that is less than we can get from God. Some of the products and programs may help for a time, but those solutions are never lasting, no matter what they say.
Jesus tells us not to believe the naysayers. “Don’t be afraid, only believe.” So, when we are confronted by those who would tell us our prayers are pointless, those who tell us we shouldn’t bother the Lord with our troubles, we can listen to the voice of God saying, “Come to me, and I will heal you.” As James tells us, the prayers of those who trust in God are heard and answered. I don’t know how or when I will see more change in my health, but I can trust that God will help me be patient, to learn to wait, to seek His guidance so that I hear the good advice and ignore that which will only lead me down a wrong path. One thing I have learned is to be happy with where I am today, and follow Jesus into tomorrow, knowing that He truly has my best interest at heart.
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