Two Daughters

Introduction

Timing matters. In 1996 Jackson Madison County Hospital in Jackson TN handed out calendars—40,000 of them. Back in the day when people used paper calendars to keep up with special dates. But the calendars had a typographical error. Thanksgiving was listed as November 21, the third Thursday, instead of November 28 the fourth Thursday. Cathy Mullikin planned her family celebration according to the calendar and couldn’t understand why people didn’t show up at her house for the meal. A simple printing error couldn’t change the reality of Thanksgiving. Timing matters.

We talk about God’s timing and well we should. God’s timing is often a reminder that what he has in mind and what we have in mind are not the same thing. We seek quick changes and God’s timing is not always as quick as we would like it to be. Abraham waited 25 years for God’s timing. Israel waited 400 years for God’s timing to be released from bondage in Egypt. How do you not get discouraged while you wait? Waiting 400 years means lots of people died waiting for God to do something. How do you remain committed to God while you wait? At what point do you think hopelessness will set in?

We will look at two events in Mark 5 today. Both remind us that hopelessness is a present companion when you are discouraged. Both remind us that God is working and that his timing is what it is supposed to be. Hard to wait on God. A small amount of faith is what we have. Human beings want quick answers. Faith waits and trusts. Difficult battle.

Waiting for 12 Years

There are two stories woven together. As you have heard them read, we have a 12 year old girl who is at the point of death and does die and we have a woman who for the last 12 years has been dealing with some type of health issue as well. She has been bleeding for 12 years. The assumption is that she has had 12 years without a regular menstrual cycle. Jairus asks Jesus to come to his house and heal his daughter. Jesus is glad to go. On the way this woman in her faith comes alongside Jesus and touches his garment with the expectation that she will be healed. Both Jarius and this woman believe that Jesus can heal. Both believe that proximity matters. Jarius is bold enough to ask and the woman who has been suffering in the shadows all these years doesn’t want to impose on Jesus. Just touching his garment is enough.

Let’s start with the woman. For 12 years she has spent herself into pennilessness trying to find a remedy for her condition. She has gone and talked to any doctor. No telling what potion or concoction she has consumed hoping to be better. After 12 years, she is hopeless. No more money. No more options. Jesus is the answer. Somehow she managed to push through the crowd and touch Jesus’ clothes. And she knew immediately that she was healed. Her body felt different. She didn’t have to go home and wait. In fact, the Bible tells us that immediately the bleeding stopped and she felt it. She was going home. No harm; no foul. Except Jesus wasn’t about to let her go home. Not yet.

Who touched me question is followed up with the “who didn’t touch you” response. Scores touched you. You are constantly being touched. There is the touch of community and touch of camaraderie and the touch of familiarity. But then there is the touch of faith and that is what the woman has. A touch of faith. Jesus wants to meet her; actually Jesus wants the woman to meet him. Verse 34—Daughter. Jairus protects his daughter. This woman is someone’s daughter. But there is no one who is protecting her. She has to defend herself. But she is God’s daughter and God is interested in his daughters.

One daughter is healed and the other daughter dies. The messages are simultaneous. To one daughter Jesus says you matter. 12 years of suffering brought to an end. You matter to your Father. Be at peace and go live without suffering. Jairus gets the message that his daughter has died. The anguish. The pain. Hopelessness. Anger. If Jesus had kept walking and not worried about some woman maybe he could have healed my daughter. “Daughter, your faith has healed you.” What about my daughter? Verse 36. With piercing eyes and a voice that silenced the bearers of bad news—Don’t be afraid; trust me.

Jairus starts walking toward his house and Jesus follows. Have you considered that the 12 years of this little girl’s life has been matched by 12 years of God’s daughter bleeding. The same 12 years for both. One little girl growing up and is fine. During the same 12 years suffering. Do you think this is mere coincidence? Or maybe God is speaking loudly and we just miss it? Jairus knew nothing of God’s daughter. All he knew was his own. God knew them both.

Hope Lives

Jairus gets to his house. Jesus asks the mourners to rejoice. They laugh with such derision. So would we. The mourners are sent out of the house. The child is dead not asleep. Six people enter the daughter’s room. Mom and dad are just numb. They are not ready to say goodbye to their daughter. Almost whispered come the words of Jesus—Little girl, get up! Her eyes move; she awakens and immediately stands up and starts walking around. She is given food. And the family is told to keep this quiet. Like that is going to happen.

What’s the point in all of this? Two daughters healed. Two who share a common time frame. Two who are unnamed. God’s timing. Hopelessness filtered through faith. What do you need? Are you experiencing hopelessness? How do these stories speak to you? Waiting on God to act? How do these stories speak? Faith small? How do these stories encourage? Do you think God sees you and your situation? Do you think being unnamed matters to God?

Here’s the other point. People laugh at God frequently. They laugh at us for believing. Allow the piercing eyes and the whispered voice of Jesus penetrate—Don’t be afraid; trust me. How do you trust while you wait? It is easy to see how you don’t trust while waiting. Laugh; scoff; ignore; walk away. So maybe faith while waiting looks the opposite. Still pray; still seek; still attend; still speak in trust. Maybe the opposites confirm your faith. To wait is to trust. Waiting includes feeling lost and hopeless and wondering when. Jairus heard the message of his friends—Don’t bother Jesus. Do you hear that is the same message that the woman had about Jesus. I will not bother him.

Your God wants to be bothered. Touch him. Hear him. Don’t believe the message that you are not important enough to bother Jesus. Don’t know the woman’s name. Don’t know the daughter’s name. But God met them both; declared them whole and healed. 12 years of waiting. “Don’t be afraid; trust me.” Invitation.

Follow Jesus

If you’d like to respond to this message or learn more about following Jesus, please reach out.