There's so many different verses where I think that I've come across the most challenging teaching or command of Jesus yet. This one is certainly on the list... Jairus has just found out that his daughter is dead, and the first thing that Jesus says is: do not fear. The only person who can say such a thing is one that knows that death is just a veil, not something permanent, not something definitive. But that's a hard thing for us to grasp, and I'm sure that's why Jesus tells this directly to Jairus -- before the fear can sneak in and tear him apart, Jairus needs to focus on Jesus, to trust in him.
I have questions as to why Jesus didn't do something before this, or why Jesus doesn't do this more often, or why Jesus doesn't intervene today... but those are questions where the answers remain shrouded in mystery. For the moment, I try, in the midst of my fear, to hear these words of Jesus to me. Do not fear, only believe. In the midst of all the other voices trying to have me focus on them, in the midst of all the doubt that I have... do not fear, only believe.
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