Choose Faith — Scripture Reflection #019
Luke 8:50 (New Living Translation)
50 But when Jesus heard what had happened, He said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed.”
Jairus was in an impossibly tough situation- his only daughter was dying, and he had tried everything he could to save her. After exhausting all his options, he himself was tired and running out of hope. That is, until he heard news that a man named Jesus was in the area who could reportedly heal any disease. With what little energy he had left, this despairing father jumped at the chance for his daughter to be healed and went personally to find Jesus and request His help.
Upon finding Jesus, the father fell to his knees, pleading that this healer come and save his daughter. When Jesus agreed, Jairus quickly led Him home, knowing that time was short. When an unfortunate, yet miraculous delay stopped their progress, Jairus was able to see Jesus’ healing power up close- a woman who had suffered constant bleeding for 12 years was healed. Surely this man could heal his daughter!
That is when the very news that Jairus had been working so hard to put off finally struck: a messenger from Jairus’ home arrived, announcing that his only daughter had died. Distraught, the father was ready to call it quits; all his work and hope were for nothing. But the healer had other plans, “Don’t be afraid,” Jesus said. “Just have faith, and she will be healed.” At that moment, Jairus had a choice to make: Accept his daughter’s death, or choose to have faith that Jesus could heal her as He said He could.
Jairus chose faith and was rewarded with the life of his daughter. When you are presented with bad news or impossible odds, you have a choice to make: Either succumb to fear and doubt and let them rule your decision-making, or choose to believe that God is greater than the odds. The same power that resurrected that young girl is available today to those who choose faith.
