Do Not Fear, Only Believe

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered round him; and he was by the lake. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.’ So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.’ Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, “Who touched me?” ’ He looked all round to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’ While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?’ But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’ He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, ‘Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha cum’, which means, ‘Little girl, get up!’ And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat. Mark 5:21-43

We live in times where there are more cures for our diseases than ever before. We also have been through a pandemic that took millions and millions of lives, We became people who feared other people. We are somewhat back from all of that, yet the real fear and isolation still have a profound impact on us. The woman that touched Jesus' hem was considered unclean because of her disease. And they had already pronounced the child dead. And yet God's love is always bigger than our fears, and ready always to bring new possibilities where there are none.

Loving Creator, whose heart is a parent's heart

you love us like family and care for us every day

we may not see or know the work of your love

yet we can see it in the beauty of life around us.

We are often torn by fears and great worries

we ache for our children and friends who suffer

we are angry when there is too much loss and pain

yet you are always there beside us and with us .

Help us to seek you in all our tormented moments

let our cry come to you in the night and in the day

help us not to fear and give us the strength to believe

for your love is constant, eternal and a healing balm. Amen.