Mark 5 v 40 - 43

It is interesting that Jesus, who had this huge crowd following Him, should choose to bring healing to this girl in the privacy of her own home with only her mother and father and Peter, James and John present. Yet, at other times, Jesus performs miracles in front of large crowds- the feeding of five thousand comes to mind. There are times, too, when Jesus encourages the person He has healed to be His disciple and others when He is clear that the person should stay out- you may recall that with the man possessed by a legion of demons. Concerning the miracles, Jesus had long recognised that the crowd which followed Him wanted to see miracles, but that is as far as it went. Witnessing these supernatural events did not alter them one bit apart from brightening up their day and giving them something to gossip about. They didn't even understand who Jesus was through His miracles. Providing food to many people should have had meaning to any Jew who trusted that God would provide and knew the story of Moses and the provision of food for the Israelites in their wilderness wanderings. Yet, somehow, for the vast majority, there was no deeper significance. There was always the danger that the masses would force Him to be their leader against the Romans and such insurrections were brutally put down. As the Gospel writings are assumed to be reasonably chronological- apart from sections of John-then we can see a general pattern for Jesus to do less and less publicly as He recognised that the time of His death was not quite yet. Let's look at this miracle then...We can read of the contrast between the despair of the mourners and the hope of Jesus. Understandably, there seemed little reason to bother Jesus any longer now that the child was dead, but Jesus wasn't giving up. There is also the contrast between the unrestrained distress of the mourners and the calm serenity of Jesus. He was in complete control as His perfect trust in His Father meant that He knew that healing was going to take place. The child could not show faith as she was lifeless, but the desperate actions of Jairus demonstrated a faith in the only person he knew could do something. Just as with the man let down through the roof by his four friends, it can often be the faith of others which brings healing. Although, remember that healing had just been given to the woman with the issue of blood through that woman's faith! The theology of healing is such a vast subject. I have anointed many people with oil in obedience to James' instructions in his letter and some are fully recovered and are well. However, others have died. It often appears that we walk in the dark on this. Jesus healed the man waiting for the waters of Siloam to move, but what about the many others there? It surely wasn't one person waiting, as the man spoke about others who got in the pool before him? For me, I seek to pray with someone who is suffering, I seek to do everything instructed in the Bible and I seek to make it as possible as it can be for there to be healing, by supporting the person as best as I can. After that, it is trusting in God's grace and perfect will.