I have a confession to make....one of my biggest pet peeves is people who cut the line. There are legitimate cases and those are fine but recently it seems to be getting worse. I find it so selfish and inconsiderate. A certain local store seems to attract this type of shopper. The ones where one person gets in line and then another person with an entire cartload of merchandise cuts the line to meet up. Does it really affect my life overall, no, but I still find it infuriating.
One day I was in the shower and my mind went to these recent events. As I was thinking over this, God brought to mind the account of Jarius and the woman with the issue of blood. Boom...convicted!
Look at the passage in Mark 5:21-43; it's a little long but take some time and read through it.
Here's Jarius; coming to Jesus because his daughter is dying. Jesus agrees to go to Jarius' house. Jarius trusted that Jesus could heal is daughter! Jesus had agreed to go to Jarius' house! All looked to be okay. But then Jesus stops. A woman had touched Him and He stops to have a chat? I can only imagine the desperation and impatience that Jarius was feeling. Then it gets worse. While Jesus is talking to this woman Jarius receives the news that his daughter had died.
What? But Jesus agreed to come? Why would He agree to help and then let her die? How could Jesus give such seemingly false hope to Jarius? Honestly, my blood would have probably boiled, I probably would have had some not-so-nice thoughts towards this woman. Sure she was sick but his daughter was dying! How could Jesus prioritize this woman over a dying child?
Here's what we forget...Jesus NEVER forgets us. His timing is NEVER wrong. It is SO hard to wait. Jesus wasn't frantic or in a rush, because He has conquered death and holds the keys (Revelation 1:18). It's easy to look at this passage and think that Jesus prioritizes certain people over others but He holds all His children with the same love. He knows far more than we do, He wasn't concerned about timetables because He rules the times, seasons, death & life.
In both of these cases Jesus shows His authority and He is glorified. Only He can heal not only from physical ailments but heal hearts (vs. 34 “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”) and only He can conquer death ( vs. 41-42 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.)
How often do we pray about something, look into Scripture, read God's
promises and believe that yes, Jesus has promised to answer. But then
we wait, sometimes things get worse, we feel desperate, we get angry,
confused, we cry out "Why do I see other's being healed/delivered while I
sit here in this situation watching it get worse." "Where are you
God?", "I've read Your promises...why aren't You fulfilling them in this
situation?" Dear reader, bring all of that to God! Cry out to Him! He can handle it, but remember, His timing is ALWAYS perfect, He is ALWAYS with us, He ALWAYS fulfills His promises..in His perfect way! Those "line-cutters" aren't a surprise to Him and will never change His perfect purposes and plans.
A couple thoughts that actually just came to me as I was reading this passage:
- Both Jesus and Jarius are concerned for their daughters! This is the only place in Scripture where Jesus calls someone daughter. And Jesus is able to heal both. So as I think of how desperate Jarius wanted healing for his daughter, how wonderful to see Jesus concern and care for His daughter.
- He brought both from death to life through faith (the woman spiritually, the girl physically) showing His authority and power in every aspect of life.
- Jarius wanted Jesus to lay hands on his daughter to make her well. The woman trusts the same touch of Jesus to make her well.
