Stay

 I joke that Proverbs 16:9 has been the theme verse for 2020.  So much of what we had planned changed, and we have been forced to truly slow down and trust God for what each day, sometimes each hour, will bring.  In my last post I talked about faithfully following God: stepping out, keeping our focus on Him and not comparing to what He is doing in the lives of others.  As hard as following can be, I think that can be the easier of the two between action and what we see as inaction.  We "get" busy.  We are all busy.  The world around us places a high value on busyness, productivity, and reaching goals.  Those things aren't inherently bad but we understand that thinking.  What can often be harder is when God says "stay", be still, because in our minds that seems like we aren't doing anything we think nothing can happen if we don't get moving; getting something done.  

A couple months ago I saw a post on Instagram. I wish I had made a note of who wrote it, but unfortunately I didn't.  It was a post that I read and thought "Oh, that's cool. I've never thought about that before," and moved on; yet it has stuck with me and become one of the truths that I'm clinging to when I just don't get what God is doing.  The post was about Jarius.  In Mark chapter 5 we meet Jarius, a man desperate for healing for his daughter.  As soon as Jesus returns from across the sea, Jarius is there, asking Jesus to heal his daughter. Jarius knows Jesus can heal her.  How thankful Jarius must have been to have Jesus immediately start following him to his house!  But here's where the story gets hard.  Someone else needed healing from Jesus that day too.  A woman, who we are told has had a bleeding issue for 12 years, touches the hem of Jesus' garment and is healed...and Jesus stops!  He stops and turns to the crowd to ask who touched Him.  From our view, we know that Jesus already knew who had touched Him.  She was healed so why delay?  Jesus (for several reasons I may blog about in the future, but won't get into here) knew that He needed to publicly acknowledge her healing.  But where was Jarius in all of this?  He was right there...he stayed.  Then, after Jesus heals the woman, someone comes from Jarius' house to tell him that his daughter has died.  How hopeless Jarius must have felt...how angry that Jesus didn't move faster. "Why did Jesus have to stop?" Jarius must have thought.  But Jesus responds with, "Do not fear, only believe." (vs 36)  

So what does this have to do with us?  Notice the example of Jarius, he doesn't rush ahead of Jesus, and he doesn't interrupt and pester or complain about Jesus tending to the needs of the woman.  Jarius simply stops when Jesus stops, and stays.  He is still with Jesus when the messenger from his house comes.  So often we don't understand Jesus' timing.  We get impatient and want to move ahead, thinking He somehow needs our "help."  We get restless; we think He's forgotten or that He has become unfaithful to His promises.  It's SO hard to wait, to sit, and to trust; especially when we are facing a situation that affects those dearest to us.  I'm going to somewhat contradict an earlier statement I made, but hear me out...earlier I mentioned how we aren't to be looking around at what Jesus is doing in others lives, BUT that admonishment is given for the times when we look around and start comparing ourselves to that person; when our focus is on the person and not on Jesus.  We DO need to look at how Jesus has worked in the lives of others because in those times we are reminded that He is faithful, that He does keep His promises and that we are to care about others as He does; not with jealousy or contempt but with love and care.  Just as we look back in our own lives, not to dwell there but to be reminded of all God has done in our lives.  So here we see Jesus, reaffirming to Jarius that He does heal, that faith in Him makes people well and then Jesus reminds Jarius to (just like this woman) only believe.  Believe not only that Jesus can fulfill His promises but that His timing is always perfect.  

A few years ago there was a heavy burden on my heart.  God used time at a women's retreat to speak to me in a very powerful way.  I shared that burden with a few of the women at that retreat and asked them to also pray.  That weekend God gave me two verses to hang onto; the first is Psalm 27:13-14 "I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!" the second is Psalm 20:4-5 "May he grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans! May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions!"  Waiting is hard!  But we can be sure that we will see God's goodness.  We can trust that God does hear our petitions, even when it seems like He's not listening.  We may not immediately see results but we need to believe, have faith and be reminded of Who Jesus is.  When He stops, we need to stop and stay for as long as He does...and that my friends is hard. 

Jarius' daughter was healed! He believed, just as Jesus had said. Jesus was faithful to fulfill His promise to Jarius...to grant Jarius' "heart's desire".  And yes, Jesus answered my prayers too...it took longer than I wanted and there were days when I clung so tight to those words and though my emotions were of doubt, I chose to trust that Jesus would be faithful to grant my petition in His perfect timing.  Now, with each new burden I can cling to those lessons. In those hard times of waiting, when Jesus stops, remember to stop, stay close to Him, "Do not be afraid, only believe."  Because when it seems that we aren't "doing" anything remember what Jesus told Martha when she complained about Mary sitting at His feet "Mary has chosen the good portion." (Luke 10:42). He makes everything beautiful in His timing..which is always the right time! (Ecclesiastes 3:11).