Daily Devotion for Lent 2015, Day 12

Daily Devotion for Lent

Tuesday, March 3, 2015, Day 12

Mark 5:21-34, NRSV

Traditional Jewish prayer shawl.
It's possible that Jesus wore
one similar to this.

We know that the Jewish leaders were sometimes at odds with Jesus.  In fact, we have already read in Mark how some conspired against him.  As a synagogue leader, Jairus was a respected man in the community.  He doesn't seem to be in conflict with Jesus.  If he has mixed feelings, he sets them aside because he may have witnessed the healing firsthand.  At the very least, he knows of his reputation.

Jairus is interested in Jesus because he needs Jesus to be authentic.

His daughter is next to death.  What do you do?

You beg this healer to come to your daughter's aid.

Jesus agrees and we don't hear any word from Jairus when Jesus stops to converse with the hemorrhaging woman.  If I was the worried parent, I would probably be saying, "We've got no time for her!"

It is interesting how we see what moves Jesus.  It doesn't appear to be status.  After all, if status were important, an unclean woman (menstruation made one unclean in that day) was certainly not more important than the leader of the local synagogue.  Yet, her urgency is such that she touches Jesus for healing without asking.  It was thought in that day that if you touched the prayer shawl of the Messiah, you would be healed.

Jesus then stops to have a conversation with her.

I realize that my own impatience with Jesus comes out in my imagined thought process for Jairus during this encounter.  <"Hurry up, Jesus!  You can come back to her later!">

Do you ever make assumptions on God's time or God's blessing?  Do you ever feel that time is short?

When we stop and reflect on this, we discover that God has all the time in the world.

Prayer from Mary Bendall:

Holy God of Knowing,
             who holds plans to prosper us and give us hope,
Grant us peace when the path ahead feels uncertain.
Reassure us with your leading presence

So that in times of question and doubt
                           we may continue forward in your guiding love.

We pray trusting in you,
              our Knowing Source,
                         our Strong Assurance,
                                     our Sustaining Wisdom.

Amen.



Prayer from Mary Bendall, MDiv '00, Candler School of Theology from Prayers: Voices of the Candler Community.

Photo by Sheynhertz-Unbayg, Wikimedia Commons.