Living our Faith
Ours is an ‘instant everything’ culture, where patient
waiting is a challenge even for Christians. Psalm 130 and Mark 5
intentionally offer us a stark contrast.
Stepping into those readings, we first
witness the incessant striving of the people – the psalmist cries out to God repeatedly
from the depths of his soul; the synagogue leader and the woman with the
chronic illness have both been praying for what seems like an eternity for
healing. Then we note that the psalmist has learned
to wait for the LORD, the Sovereign God, the Living God, in whose hands is all
of time. He finds deepening trust and hope in God’s word of promise, and profound
grace, mercy and forgiveness. The synagogue leader Jairus in the Mark passage
has by career and heredity known of God, prayed to God the regular prayers of
his people, however, in this season his prayer life changes. His relationship
with Yahweh in this time of waiting on His mercy has grown more personal
because of his daughter’s illness (do you think Psalm 130 was a continual
prayer for him?). The woman in the Mark passage has endured a devastating
illness that her culture and the law exacerbates so that she is forced to live
in the shadows, to abandon meaningful relationships, and is bankrupted by
medical bills. She awaits God’s healing, doing all the law allows, crying out
to Yahweh incessantly for twelve lonely, painful years. God answers both of
their prayers in an unexpected, personal way in Jesus.
At the beginning of Mark
5, Jesus’ healing of a demoniac initiates a groundswell of proclaiming of the Gospel throughout the region by those who witnessed the miraculous healing – the telling of the good
news of God coming to His people. Jairus and the woman hear about what Jesus
has done and believe He is the answer God has sent in response to their pleadings.
For Jairus his seeking Jesus could mean a loss of job and reputation, but he
knows doing nothing could cost him more. His faith pushes him to boldly go to
Jesus and fall at his feet, seeking mercy and redemption. The woman knowing
that her willful violation of the law could cost her her life, nevertheless
walks stealthily in faith for just a touch from Jesus. And look how Jesus uniquely answers each one!
Can't you feel the woman’s fear, then
divine joy, as Jesus restores her publicly, Jesus who has seen and known her
true value to the Father and by grace and in mercy forgives and redeems her
life? Can't you feel Jairus’ complex emotions as he hears his daughter has died, but
is immediately reassured by the same Jesus who redeemed the woman known
throughout the community as a lost cause? Can't you feel your heart pound as you
walk into his house where his dear child is laid out in death until that same
Jesus calls her back to life right before your eyes?
Had both Jairus and the
woman not waited in faith, would they have experienced these outcomes? As the
psalmist explains, their waiting was purposeful. The waiting on the God of all
Creation, the anticipation that He would act based on His word, was an
opportunity for each of them to grow in faith and trust. They could see with
eyes of faith God’s answer was certain in Christ, and found not just physical restoration,
but a divine revelation of God himself and an eternal blessing. What blessings
have we missed because of impatience? What if we see waiting as an opportunity
to trust our Sovereign God, to let Him use our seasons of waiting to uniquely act
in our lives to push our faith forward?
