Jarius

I have two daughters, Allyson is 2 (3 in December) and Lauren is almost 17 months and they (along with their mother) are the delight of my life. I love playing with them, watching them have fun, learn things and experience life. I believe that this is how Jarius must have felt about his own daughter, which is why I think he is so stricken with worry. Jarius' daughter is sick, very sick - so sick, in fact, that this synagogue leader has turned to Jesus for help. If this were a movie and not a sunday school story, I would watch it on the edge of my seat, I would be tense and my heart would ache with Jarius. Especially when Jesus, Jarius and friends were making their way through the mob of people and Jesus suddenly stops and demands to know who touched him. Really?!?! Who touched you? Who hasn't touched you! But Jesus persists in seeking out the hemorrhaging woman whose incredible faith healed her. This woman's faith is an amazing story - but it costs Jarius' daughter her life. Because, while Jesus was speaking people came from Jarius' house to tell him that his daughter had died. Devistating. But this is where Jarius really amazes me - Jesus tells Jarius to not fear but believe - and he does. We know the story, Jesus shows up tells the mourners that the girl is only sleeping, they laugh at him, he sends everyone out except Jarius, his wife, Peter, James and John then raises the girl to life. A happy ending! I'm still amazed at the faith and trust of Jarius and pray that I can trust as well as he.

Mark has something important in all these stories of Jesus - he is healing all sorts of disease and infirmities (sickness, blindness, lameness, withered hands, ect.) he has cast out unclean spirits, he has calmed nature and has raised the dead - don't miss Mark's picture of Jesus.