Do not fear; only believe ...

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And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus' feet, he implored him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. ... While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler's house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.”

And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

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This play is broken up into two acts. Act I is the journey to Jairus' house. The trip is interrupted at least once by a woman who had been sick for twelve years. I wonder what was going through the mind of Jairus as the Lord stopped to minister to her. Knowing how sick his daughter was, I imagine that he was a bit impatient with the delay. Nevertheless the delay did not hinder Christ in the least and, in a sense, opened the door for a greater miracle.

Act II begins as the Lord arrives at the home of Jairus and is mocked because he tells them that the daughter is not dead but merely sleeping. It begs the question of whether she was actually dead or in some sort of coma. I imagine that Jairus had to be wondering about Jesus' admonition to not fear but believe. Perhaps he was hanging on to those words with everything he had. And, in the end, the words of Christ proved true as they watched her rise from her bed.

Help me to not fear today Lord but to only believe.

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