"Why bother the Teacher any more?" — Mark 5:35
While Jesus was sailing through the storm, a 12-year-old girl was getting sicker and sicker. While Jesus was delivering the man afflicted with demons, she grew weaker and weaker. Her father was frantic. Where’s Jesus?
Jesus finally returned, and the father pushed his way through the crowd. He rehearsed in his mind what he was going to say. "Yes, many people are sick, but you don’t understand. This is my daughter."
In a race against time, this father pleaded with Jesus to hurry. But what did Jesus do? He dawdled. He paused. He stopped to ask a ridiculous question, "Who touched Me?"
"Hurry!" the man was screaming inside. "Don’t stop now! Hurry and heal my daughter."
And then, everything that man feared came crashing down on him. "Why bother the teacher any more? Your daughter is dead."
I get the sense of a father reaching out for his daughter and a daughter reaching out for her father as they are pulled apart, and drawn into separate universes beyond each other’s reach.
Why bother the Teacher any more? It’s over. It’s time to give up.
All of us have a line inside — a place where hope vanishes, where we see no options, where we can think of no other recourse than to give up. Sometimes the Lord asks us to visit that place in our souls just like He had this father visit that place of giving up so many years ago.
What does Jesus do? He moves the line. He says, "Don’t be afraid; just believe." He says, "The child is not dead but asleep." Just before He raises the dead, He invites us to open our eyes and see that life, hope and possibility are here because Jesus is here.
Be encouraged!
Dwight
Dwight Clough is the author of four Christian books and is an active member of Lake City Church in Madison. This devotional is also available via email and you may review the archives back to 2002. Dwight and his wife Kim provide prayer ministry for inner healing / transformation and coaching in prayer ministry. He is available to speak to your group or church. To contact Dwight or Kim, use their contact form. You may also support their ministry.