October 28, 2008

Never Beyond Hope

“And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’" But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me." Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace." While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s [house], saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher." But when Jesus heard [it], He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well." When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise." Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given [something] to eat. And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.” (Luke 8:41-56 NKJV)

There are times when human reason screams give up, there is no hope. Perhaps finances, sickness, or relationships have become so burdensome that the weight of it all is crushing the air right out of you. While human reason can see no way of escape, the eye of faith still sees hope.

In the passage above there are two radically different perspectives. There is the perspective of the messengers and subsequent skeptics who ridiculed Jesus when He said of Jairus’ daughter that she is not dead. Contrary to that is the perspective of the woman who had spent all she had trying to be healed without success, and now reached out to Jesus in faith for healing. Human reason guided the group, and faith guided the woman.

The lesson should be obvious to all. Believers are never beyond hope. God can do anything. When all human resources are gone there remains the power of God.

Believers today are submersed in a world of humanistic thought. Self-reliance is the logical destination of humanism. Therefore, humanism excludes the concept of a creator and limits resources to the human intellect and science.

Friend, this is not a message to embrace the charismatic theology; it could be that He will not fix the problem as you see it. However, He can comfort in the midst of the trial believers need to walk by faith. Jesus is not walking the earth today healing everyone who comes to Him, but He is no less capable of healing someone, leading someone out of debt, or reestablishing a relationship.

Of course the ultimate comfort is to realize that believers live for heaven looking forward to that blessed hope. This world will always hurt and destroy because it has been ruined by sin. Therefore, keep your eye focused on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith, and not this world of pain and sorrow.