February 24 | Luke 8:40-56

Pastor Dave Mann
Feb 24, 2025
2 min read

DAILY READING

REFLECTION

Faith in the Ultimate Healer

By Dave Mann

Who was Jairus? A synagogue leader, a religious leader. No, religious leaders are not insulated from medical problems for themselves or their families. Jairus’s 12-year-old daughter was dying at the start of the story but then died during the story.

Jesus’ journey to care for Jairus’s crisis was interrupted by the woman who had been subject to bleeding for 12 years. Being unclean and then cleansed again was a common experience for all Jews. Touching a dead animal, participating in a military conflict, slaughtering an animal, monthly menstruation, giving birth, assisting in a birth, etc. -- all these experiences brought about a state of uncleanness, requiring spiritual cleansing. It was a known rhythm of life for a Jew. Yet this woman had been in a state of uncleanness for 12 long years –- separated from family and friends continually year after year.

Jairus’ daughter was born at approximately the same time as the woman’s bleeding had started. Joy was in Jairus’s house for the birth, but the atmosphere turned sad 12 years later when the daughter fell subject to a terminal disease. Around this same time, the woman, after a 12-year battle, was all worn out by her long struggle. The families and friends of this child and this woman knew what it was like to reach the limits of human knowledge and ingenuity.

Though the scope of medical skill in the 21st century is much more developed than in the 1st century, there is still a disappointing reality of human limits. People today still know how the hopefulness of a new birth and all the possibilities for that newborn dance in our imaginations. We know how optimism can be turned into sorrow by a serious childhood disease.

People today still experience the fatigue of managing a long-term disease in adulthood. We get worn out by the challenges of endless medical appointments. We want our doctors to have the cure, yet we are presented with one more referral, and yet another and another until we nearly give up hope.

Both Jairus and the woman had one remaining hope – the person of Jesus. Jairus made the effort to seek out Jesus when his daughter was dying. The woman slipped through the crowd to touch the edge of Jesus’ cloak. May we have faith like these two to reach out to Jesus in our time of need.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, we thank you for modern medical knowledge, and yet we know that there will always be limits on human ability to cure our illnesses. We look to you for our full and ultimate healing. Come and show us the power of your kingdom, until that Day when there will be no more sickness or death. We look forward to the consummation of your kingdom in Jesus’ name, Amen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DAVE MANN

I am a Pastor for Internationals (retired) in the UALC community. I am married to Pam, father of four, and grandfather of six. Pam and I have lived twenty of our years in other countries including France, Cameroon, Haiti, and Morocco. In retirement, we continue to enjoy writing devotionals, learning languages, and teaching English to internationals.