AL 21
April 21
Mark 5:35 to end. He raises Jairus' daughter.
With what eagerness the ruler must have watched the Savior's progress towards his house! It must have been a trial to him to see the steps of his deliverer retarded by the surrounding crowd. But what a blow it was to hear his child was actually dead! Those who brought the message thought that Jesus could not now relieve the poor father. They said, "Why trouble you the Master any further?" Yet why did they speak thus? Is there anything too hard for the Lord? If he could heal by his power, could he not also restore life by the same power?
Probably the ruler partook of the doubts of the messengers; for Jesus immediately encouraged him, saying, "Be not afraid, only believe." How apt we are, though we know that Jesus is almighty, to think, that while he can relieve us in a small trouble, he cannot help us in a great one! How apt we are to imagine that there are some cases too hard for him. Does not this show that our faith is very weak? The truth is, that God delights in showing the greatness of his power by delivering us out of the most overwhelming distresses. If we believed in him more, we should see more of his wonderful works. And though he does not now raise the dead, it is not because the work is too great for his power, but because the time is not yet come.
When Jesus came to the ruler's house, he shut out of the room the scoffing attendants, and only permitted the parents of the child and three of his apostles to witness the miracle. There are wonders of his love and power, which Christ displays to his believing people alone. The parents would not have been admitted into their daughter's chamber, had they been disposed to scoff at the Savior's words. Their sorrowful hearts must have been looking and longing for deliverance.
How many who have expected deliverance in trial, have received it! A way has been opened in a manner least expected. Thus Abraham, when he had lifted up the knife to slay his son, believed that God could raise him; and his faith was rewarded. He called the mount Jehovah Jireh; or, "in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen;" that is, "the Lord will see, or provide;" thus leading all believers to look for similar deliverances in the hour of extreme distress.
Can the parents who beheld the glorious deed have regretted the sufferings they had endured? If they had suffered less, they had seen less of the power of the Lord. When Christians come out of their afflictions, they have wonderful histories to relate concerning God's faithfulness, which they would never have known had they remained at ease. But there are proper seasons in which to relate these histories. The time was not yet come for publishing abroad the miracles that Jesus had wrought. When he himself had risen from the dead, then it was the duty of his followers to declare all they had seen. His wonderful works have been recorded, and handed down to us. Do we believe that Jesus will raise the dead at the last day? Then we can lay our beloved ones in the tomb without that distracting, hopeless sorrow, which the unbelieving world experience.