In Mark’s Gospel, we read the story of a man who certainly thought Jesus was too late. As a matter of fact, his friends even told him, “There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”

Like a first-century 9-1-1 call, Jairus reached Jesus by falling on his knees and begging attention for his only daughter, who was 12 years old and dying of a fever. His only hope was hanging by a single thread in the form of this young Rabbi from Galilee.

But as Jairus is hurrying Jesus back to his house, hoping it isn’t going to be too late, a huge crowd is pushing and slowing the way, to the point of almost crushing them.

Suddenly, Jairus’ plan is derailed when Jesus stops and asks, “Who touched me?” Everyone denied it. And Peter said, “Master, the crowd surrounding you is pressing in on you.” But Jesus knew someone touched the tassels of his garment and power had flowed out of him.

In those agonizing moments of time, a nameless destitute woman had come from behind and cut in line, securing her healing. Jairus may have been thinking, “This woman, sick as she may be, would have lived another day. Why is Jesus stopping to speak to her now?”

It’s curious—how easy it is to dismiss the need of others as insignificant when we compare them to our own. So often we can’t see beyond our own needs. And that is why Jesus’ dealings were so often surprising—even disturbing—to everyone. It was the tax collectors, notorious sinners, lepers, and immoral women who reached His heart. He had as much concern for the nameless, insignificant, poor, and chronically sick woman as he had for this obviously “deserving” ruler of the synagogue.

For Jairus, how could he have known that both healing and resurrection were easily within Jesus’ power? So rare are resurrections in Scripture, there are only six ever recorded. So it isn’t likely that option would have entered his mind. Jesus was about to do exceedingly abundantly above all he could ask or think! All in His good time. . .

And Jesus also knew He was not going to allow this woman to leave with just a quick fix for her physical problem. What she needed was an encounter that would pale in comparison to a healing. It would transform her inside out. She would hear the words, “Take heart, My daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

Why does God’s allow delays? I don’t know all the answers to this question, especially when I am in the thick of a desperate situation, but there are a few principles that I can learn from the case of Jairus.

  1. People matter to Jesus. All kinds of people, not just the rich, influential, “good” folks. This woman was “unclean,” destitute, and isolated, but despite how others looked at her, Jesus wouldn’t risk losing her in the crowd. His compassion extended beyond a mere healing; He wanted to make sure she was set free from bondage and at peace with God. “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
  2. Delays are often His way of taking the self-centeredness in our hearts and knocking it out. How often I have prayed in recent years, Lord Jesus, just come now! Take us all home; isn’t it about time? Yet in the years that I have waited, how many more souls have been born into eternal life? In my selfish desire to be delivered, have I forgotten that God is exceedingly patient to those I may not give a passing glance at?
  3. In our waiting places, we need to see the needs of others we can tend to in Christ’s name. We can and should rejoice that in delays we have more time to spread the Good News to as many people as we can!
  4. What lies in our future, beyond the waiting and pain, is often an even greater and more glorious answer than we could imagine. Jairus would see Jesus’ power displayed in such a tender and loving way. His little girl would have her touch from the Master in good time. We read Jesus’ words, spoken gently, Talitha koum: “Little lady, wake up.” Even in the worst case scenario, death, our greatest enemy, isn’t to be feared. In the end, it will have no power over the believer. It will be nothing more than a sweet night’s sleep from which we will hear our Savior say, “Dear one, it is time to get up.”

Can we trust Him when our time schedules are stretched to the limits and snapped? Jairus didn’t know how this would end, or that a resurrection would tap no more of Jesus’ power than healing a fever. Jesus said to him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

However, in our in-between time, between our pleas for help and the answer that is certainly coming, may we read these words and hear Him say to us: Don’t be afraid; just believe!

All who believe will hear their own “Talitha koum.”