Encounters with Jesus #3
This is turning out to be one incredible sequence of events, and no sooner had the previous encounter concluded than the next comes rushing in! While this next encounter involves a healing miracle the focus here is not on the miracle but on the faith of a father and how it invaded his life on the most emotionally draining of days – the funeral of his daughter.
As Jesus was saying this, the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him. “My daughter has just died,” he said, “but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her.”
So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him...
When Jesus arrived at the official’s home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music. “Get out!” he told them. “The girl isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” But the crowd laughed at him. After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up! (Matt 9:18-19, 23-25 NLT)
I know it’s hard but take your eyes off the spectacular healing, amazing as it is, but let’s look at the girl’s father.
You see, this father’s act of faith took place before we actually meet him here.
Days before his daughter, his treasure, had become ill. Even though he was busy, as usual, in the synagogue his thoughts were of his daughter laid up in home. He seemed to know that something was up. He couldn’t explain how but he did, not that he wanted to accept this for a moment but it plagued his mind as he tried to listen to the positive words of friends who insisted that it would pass. He was used to having his ‘little treasure’ rush at him showering him with hugs as he entered the house, but now her smile was fading and no arms were flung around his neck. Instead his beloved daughter lay there listless and pale. His wife sat there with her, she had been there all day and an unspoken concern was deep in her eyes; a mother knows more clearly than any when something is serious.
Each day in the synagogue anguish and frustration filled him. People asked him to prayer to the God of Israel on their behalf but right now he could not have felt any further from God. Had he displeased God? Could this have anything to do with the last time that local boy, Jesus, came by claiming to be the Messiah? When you feel helpless like this crazy thoughts, thoughts you would normally never remember, take on a gravity as you desperately try to make sense of everything. But sometimes things just don’t make sense, and it is too much to bear.
Then, that morning, he woke up to a sense of absence. Everyone was there but there was a deep sense of emptiness that threatened to break his heart, or at least it would if he had any energy left to feel such emotion. He went over to his ‘little treasure' but she did not stir. His kiss was received by her lifeless cheek. How could such peace occupy a lifeless face? He cried. Tears rolling silently down his cheeks. He wasn’t sure why because he didn’t feel anything, he couldn’t feel anything; all he felt was utter exhaustion, but the tears continued to flow. Why had God abandoned his family? This was too big a question and the weight of not knowing crushed him. Then the wailing began. His family had woken up now and their grief was now filling the air.
What do you do when have lost such a treasure?
He was a leader of the synagogue, a religious man, he know the rituals, the customs that take place at these times. He knew what to do; he knew his responsibility. Somehow these responsibilities offered him release, a detachment from the pain; it held back the tears. As the mourners gathered, sharing in the grief of the family he heard a name that pierced his heart just as deep as his daughter’s cold cheek: Jesus. Had he heard correctly? Was this man back? In the light of his loss all his reasoned objections to the validity of the claims made by the carpenter’s son dried up like his tears; what if he was the…
Deep inside a battle overwhelmed his heart. No-one else saw this, all they could see was a man honouring the tragic loss of a daughter – he was an inspiration to them as he performed his duty. Inside, though, something new was beginning to burn – an unreasoned hope in the claims of Jesus. Silently he slipped away, he abandoned his family; if this did not work out then his family would be even more deeply wounded than they are now. They needed him by their side but right now he needed a Messiah, he needed Jesus to be who he claimed to be, and despite past reservations he knew he was.
He couldn’t say how long he had walked for. As much as loss had consumed him before now hope engulfed him. All his life he had passionately trusted Yahweh, the God of his fathers, and he now found himself approaching Jesus filled with the same trust that he had always placed in Yahweh; he was consumed by faith. The crowd was easy enough to find, a crowd always is, but whether he had to barge his way through or whether they simply parted for him, seeing his tears, he couldn’t say; it was all a blur. Then there he was, Jesus, but to him he did not seem to be the same man he rejected last time. The father’s eyes, burning full of tears, met those of Jesus; eyes which burned with compassion and authority – eternal, unstoppable. These were eyes that death would listen to, but the last thing he expected to see in Jesus’ eyes was recognition; not a recognition of old
acquaintances but a recognition and understanding of what he was going through. Words were not needed but they rushed out any way.
“My daughter has just died,” the father said, “but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her.”
The faith of this man is overwhelming!
In a day of pain and grief, he filled the emptiness of feeling abandoned by God with trust in Jesus. This was not just a ‘reassuring faith’ it was an ‘active faith’. He knew what was expected on him by his grieving family but he had his eyes fixed on Christ.
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honour at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Col 3:1-3 NLT)
But we cannot afford to view this as extraordinary faith – this needs to be reality our daily faith!
Be encouraged – this is possible. Before that day the town lacked faith to such a degree it hindered Jesus’ ministry. Out of this came the incredible faith that we have read about today. Your faith is not fixed – it can grow dramatically and instantly, just fix your eyes on Jesus!
As Jesus was saying this, the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him. “My daughter has just died,” he said, “but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her.”So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him...
When Jesus arrived at the official’s home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music. “Get out!” he told them. “The girl isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” But the crowd laughed at him. After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up! (Matt 9:18-19, 23-25 NLT)
I know it’s hard but take your eyes off the spectacular healing, amazing as it is, but let’s look at the girl’s father.
You see, this father’s act of faith took place before we actually meet him here.
Days before his daughter, his treasure, had become ill. Even though he was busy, as usual, in the synagogue his thoughts were of his daughter laid up in home. He seemed to know that something was up. He couldn’t explain how but he did, not that he wanted to accept this for a moment but it plagued his mind as he tried to listen to the positive words of friends who insisted that it would pass. He was used to having his ‘little treasure’ rush at him showering him with hugs as he entered the house, but now her smile was fading and no arms were flung around his neck. Instead his beloved daughter lay there listless and pale. His wife sat there with her, she had been there all day and an unspoken concern was deep in her eyes; a mother knows more clearly than any when something is serious.
Each day in the synagogue anguish and frustration filled him. People asked him to prayer to the God of Israel on their behalf but right now he could not have felt any further from God. Had he displeased God? Could this have anything to do with the last time that local boy, Jesus, came by claiming to be the Messiah? When you feel helpless like this crazy thoughts, thoughts you would normally never remember, take on a gravity as you desperately try to make sense of everything. But sometimes things just don’t make sense, and it is too much to bear.
Then, that morning, he woke up to a sense of absence. Everyone was there but there was a deep sense of emptiness that threatened to break his heart, or at least it would if he had any energy left to feel such emotion. He went over to his ‘little treasure' but she did not stir. His kiss was received by her lifeless cheek. How could such peace occupy a lifeless face? He cried. Tears rolling silently down his cheeks. He wasn’t sure why because he didn’t feel anything, he couldn’t feel anything; all he felt was utter exhaustion, but the tears continued to flow. Why had God abandoned his family? This was too big a question and the weight of not knowing crushed him. Then the wailing began. His family had woken up now and their grief was now filling the air.
What do you do when have lost such a treasure?
He was a leader of the synagogue, a religious man, he know the rituals, the customs that take place at these times. He knew what to do; he knew his responsibility. Somehow these responsibilities offered him release, a detachment from the pain; it held back the tears. As the mourners gathered, sharing in the grief of the family he heard a name that pierced his heart just as deep as his daughter’s cold cheek: Jesus. Had he heard correctly? Was this man back? In the light of his loss all his reasoned objections to the validity of the claims made by the carpenter’s son dried up like his tears; what if he was the…
Deep inside a battle overwhelmed his heart. No-one else saw this, all they could see was a man honouring the tragic loss of a daughter – he was an inspiration to them as he performed his duty. Inside, though, something new was beginning to burn – an unreasoned hope in the claims of Jesus. Silently he slipped away, he abandoned his family; if this did not work out then his family would be even more deeply wounded than they are now. They needed him by their side but right now he needed a Messiah, he needed Jesus to be who he claimed to be, and despite past reservations he knew he was.
He couldn’t say how long he had walked for. As much as loss had consumed him before now hope engulfed him. All his life he had passionately trusted Yahweh, the God of his fathers, and he now found himself approaching Jesus filled with the same trust that he had always placed in Yahweh; he was consumed by faith. The crowd was easy enough to find, a crowd always is, but whether he had to barge his way through or whether they simply parted for him, seeing his tears, he couldn’t say; it was all a blur. Then there he was, Jesus, but to him he did not seem to be the same man he rejected last time. The father’s eyes, burning full of tears, met those of Jesus; eyes which burned with compassion and authority – eternal, unstoppable. These were eyes that death would listen to, but the last thing he expected to see in Jesus’ eyes was recognition; not a recognition of old
acquaintances but a recognition and understanding of what he was going through. Words were not needed but they rushed out any way.“My daughter has just died,” the father said, “but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her.”
The faith of this man is overwhelming!
In a day of pain and grief, he filled the emptiness of feeling abandoned by God with trust in Jesus. This was not just a ‘reassuring faith’ it was an ‘active faith’. He knew what was expected on him by his grieving family but he had his eyes fixed on Christ.
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honour at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Col 3:1-3 NLT)
But we cannot afford to view this as extraordinary faith – this needs to be reality our daily faith!
Be encouraged – this is possible. Before that day the town lacked faith to such a degree it hindered Jesus’ ministry. Out of this came the incredible faith that we have read about today. Your faith is not fixed – it can grow dramatically and instantly, just fix your eyes on Jesus!
-Andrew Carey
posted by Andrew at 7:38 am
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