Monday, February 18, 2013

Luke 8:40-56


Dear Theophilus,
It’s so fascinating to hear about the reactions of various people to Jesus throughout these stories we’ve been discovering.  Some people flock to him, while others want nothing more than to be rid of his presence.  He’s such a divisive figure, and for those of us who stand in the middle, unsure which path to pursue, we see why each side believes they are correct.  For those who flee from him, or those who beg him to leave their presence, Jesus is such an oddity, a frightening figure for them to consider, that the peace of their lives is disturbed by his very presence.  I know I have been unsettled ever since we began this project—and there are times I wish it had never come into my life.  I’m forced to reconcile what I know with what I previously believed, and it would be easier if Jesus left my life by the same door he entered.  On the other hand, Jesus is such a fascinating figure, and there’s something about him that draws me in, that compels me to want to learn more, to uncover every story and detail of his life.  I send out more and more letters, hoping to discover some unknown detail, some miraculous account or facet of his personality.  Each letter that arrives at my house is devoured, then read multiple times as I wonder at the miracle of it all.  I can’t tear my eyes away from the paper as I learn more about Jesus.  My life has been forever changed by this project, and while I occasionally envy those who are not confronted with this disruptive event, I would not give it up without reaching its conclusion for all the power in the world.
So while part of my heart stands on the shore of the lake in Gerasene and silently begs for Jesus to leave this place, much more of me cries out to him to come near so I can sit at his knee and learn from him.  Perhaps there is even a small part of me that seeks him out—and I can only imagine how great that impulse would be if there was a pressing need on my part.  We read and discuss these miracles of Jesus, but it’s even harder to imagine what it would be like to be sick in those days, to be filled with despair and then have hope break like the sun over the horizon.  Surely you would expend every ounce of energy and money to seek out Jesus, just so that he might touch you and make you well.  Theophilus, I’ve found a story of two such people interwoven, all of it, of course, revolving around Jesus. 
When Jesus turned his back to Gerasene, he left behind a group of people who were afraid of him, afraid of his power and afraid of what his life might mean for him.  When he returned, there was a crowd waiting for him, including a leader of a synagogue named Jairus.  What happened next would have brought tears to the eyes of any bystander, for this well-known man fell at the feet of Jesus and begged for him to come and heal his only daughter, a twelve-year old girl who was dying.  Surely a murmur passed over the crowd as people wondered what Jesus would do, and a roar must have gone forward as Jesus brought the man to his feet and followed after him.  Some probably ran on ahead to Jairus’ house in hopes of finding a place with a good view, while others peeled off an ran to the neighborhood to tell all what was about to occur.
The crowd was packed tightly around Jesus as they made their way to Jairus’ house.  The sense of anticipation was strong within the group, and no one wanted to miss a word or a movement.  Now, this interruption may be hard to believe, but I assure you, Theophilus, that multiple sources have confirmed the veracity of it.  I don’t quite understand it myself, but Jesus has proved to be well beyond my realm of understanding often enough that once more is not too much of a bother! 
I’m sure that Jesus was bumped and jostled by the crowd many times, but one particular bumped caused Jesus, and thus the entire crowd, to come to a screeching halt.  All stared at Jesus, particularly Jairus, a man whose hopes mixed with a sense of urgency.  But who was he to tell Jesus to hurry up?  At that point, Jesus asked, “Who touched me?”
None would admit to it, and Peter finally spoke what many were thinking when he told Jesus that the crowd was all around him, but Jesus insisted that someone touched him, and then added the curious claim that power had gone out from him.  I add that its curious because it seems odd that power would go out without him sending it, but Jesus clearly is certain that something definite has happened here, and while I suppose he asks these questions for a specific reason, to teach something, it’s an odd way of getting to it. 
Eventually, the overwhelming tension broke the woman guilty of the charge, and she fell down before him, telling a heart-breaking story that all could hear.  She had suffered from hemorrhages for twelve years and had been declared incurable by every physician she visited.  All the money she had went off chasing a cure, but none was to be found, and in the Jewish society, to be constantly bleeding means one is constantly unclean and thus unable to partake in society.  Once more, many in the crowd wept at her story, and some shouted praises when she declared that she had been healed the moment she touched Jesus’ cloak. 
The look of peace and joy spread across the face of Jesus, and all in the crowd leaned forward to catch the words meant for the woman:  Daughter, go in peace, secure in the knowledge that your faith has healed you.  It was overwhelming and still gives me pause as I write this, amazed at the transformation in this woman’s life because she touched the cloak of Jesus with faith in him.  The peace with which she left him must have been the first real peace for her in at least twelve years.
The parabolic joy of the crowd came crashing back to earth when Jesus turned his attention back to a nervous Jairus to carry on.  In this time, a figure appeared in the distance and rapidly approached, and surely Jairus’ heart sank when he saw the man running to find this group.  He must have feared the worst.  His worst fears, a thought he might have prevented considering until now, were confirmed when the man told Jairus that there was no need for Jesus to come because the girl had passed.
Before the message could pass from Jairus’ ears to his heart, Jesus looked directly at him and told him, with certainty in his voice, not to fear, only to believe, and that the girl will be saved.  In that moment, Jairus would have clung to anything, and so like a drowning man thrown a final hope, he grabbed that rope with ferocity.
When the group arrived at the house, a cloud of mourning had descended on the house, and many wished that Jesus had only arrived hours earlier.  Only Peter, James, John, Jairus and his wife were permitted to enter, to the crowd’s great disappointment, but they all pressed close to the entrance in hopes of catching glimpse of the miracle they expected.  Within the house there was much weeping and wailing for the loss of this beloved child, but Jesus told them not to weep and insisted the girl was only sleeping.  In their mourning they laughed at him, for they knew what death was and were certain that it had claimed the child.  Jesus, not to be discouraged or dismayed, took the girl by the hand and cried, “Arise, Daughter!”
I wish I could have felt the entire room transform as the girl’s spirit returned and her body got up for all to witness.  Not a soul in the house breathed—all stared at her as though they couldn’t believe she was really there!  So many things must have rushed through their minds, but before they could spit any of them out, Jesus commanded someone to give her some food.  He then gave Jairus and his wife the strenuous command of telling nobody what had occurred.  I haven’t the slightest idea why, and I don’t know what they were supposed to say to the waiting crowd that knew the girl was dead and would see her running about the way little girls do in a matter of days, but they weren’t to tell anyone, and when someone brings your daughter back to life, you do what they say!
These two healings intertwine and make for such an incredible story, Theophilus.  I am sure you have many questions, as do I—this is all the information I could gather that I could be certain of, and I do not wish to convey rumor or conjecture to you.  There is much here to ponder, but perhaps it is enough to sit back and simply marvel at the wonder of it all.  Miracles!  What a marvelous thing Jesus does here for this woman and the little girl.  Both are restored to new life through the gift of Jesus.  May these stories bring the same joy to your heart that they did to mine.
Sincerely,
Luke


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