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| Elder Jairus is always the last one to leave the synagogue so he can lock it up.� His wife and daughter have been home already for an hour. |
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| "So, how's the birthday girl?" he calls out as he goes through the front gate. |
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| "Jairus!� I'm so glad you're home." |
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| He turns with a wide grin, but is met with tears. |
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| Instantly his smile is gone.� "What's wrong, Ruth?� Where is Leah?" |
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| "She started coming down with a fever during synagogue.� When we got home, she went right up to bed." |
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| "She didn't feel very good this morning at breakfast,"Jairus recalls.� "But I thought she was just being moody.� Did you give her anything for it?" |
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| "I worked together some herbs and woke her up to take some of it, but she's asleep again.� I don't know if it's going to work."; |
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| Elder Jairus goes upstairs to his little lively girl's room.� He feels her face.� She is burning up. |
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| Ruth joins her husband, and they take seats at their daughter's bedside.� Their only child's bedside. |
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| "Oh, God, help our little girl get well soon." |
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| Another hour passes.� Ruth tries to rouse Leah to take some more medicine. �Leah groans from being disturbed, and off in a distant tunnel somewhere she hears her mother plead. |
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| "Take some of this medicine, Leah.� Please.� Just a sip.� Try, Leah.� Try." |
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| A little is forced into her mouth.� Then her mother lays her head back down on her pillow. |
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| "It's not working, Jairus.� It's not working." |
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| The mother and father remain at daughter's bedside.� By this time, both sets of grandparents have arrived.� For the most part they remain downstairs, but with regular visits to the sick room.� |
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| Jairus does not want to, but decides to close the shutters to protect her from the sun high in the sky.� To protect her from the world outside.� But they are powerless to protect her from the netherworld coming to get her. |
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| Leah begins to convulse. |
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| Jairus jumps up to hold her shoulders.� Ruth holds her head. |
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| "Jairus, go get the doctor!" |
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| "I'm on my way!" he responds.� But out in the hall he stops and stares back at his Leah.� His lively Leah. |
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| "What are you waiting for?" Ruth shrieks in a panic.� "Hurry!" |
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| But a desperate impulse takes hold of him.� He rushes down stairs and out the gate, and heads toward the highest point in the city. |
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| Luckily he has been to the house before.� He remembers the street name.� He remembers the great columns out front, the white marble and the elaborately-carved front gate. |
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| A funeral procession.� Oh no!� What to do?� He must run through it.� He must take his chances.� He must be willing to sacrifice his reputation for his little girl.� Hurry, Jairus!� Hurry!� Your little lively Leah is dying! |
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| He slows down, shouts out his apologies with panic in his face and voice, and confuses the mourners.� He works his way through the process, then breaks out into a run.� Can he keep this up?� A middle-aged man like him?� It has been years since he has run that far.� Can he do it?� Can he last?� Will his little girl last? |
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| Jesus, please still be there.� Jesus, be who you claim to be.� Jesus, if you really do have any powers, save my little girl.� Please, Jesus!� Please have the power! |
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| Maintain control.� Don't panic.� You'll botch it.� Be cool. |
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| He spots the house with the columns and heads for the gate.� He sees in the stable opening out onto the street the white mules, the sleek horses, the gilded chariots. |
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| Jairus bangs on the gate.� "Let me in, Matthew!� Let me in!� I know you're in there, Jesus!� Let me in!"� [13] |
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| A door keeper opens the gate.� He rushes in, then stops a moment to listen.� They're in there.� He heads in the direction of the talking and laughter. |
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| "Jesus!� Is Jesus here with you?" |
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| "May I help you?" |
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| "Please!� Is Jesus here?" [14] |
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| Another man rises from his plus seat and walks over to Jairus. |
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| Jairus recognizes Jesus, having seen him in town on many instances over the past year.� He stares a moment.� Dare he? |
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| Jairus falls down at the feet of Jesus.� Humbly.� Like the janitor at the synagogue might do.� Not like the head elder would.� What if he is wrong about Jesus?� What if is not true?� |
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| He looks up at the master teacher, the young lanky man in the robe that is too big for him. |
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| "Please come to my house," he looks up and begs.� Tears are in Jairus's eyes.� Panic is in his heart.� Dread is in his soul. |
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| Jesus looks down at Jairus and raises him back up. |
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| "Please, if you are who you claim to be.� If you can really heal.� My daughter.� She's only twelve years old and.... Can he say it?� ....and....� Can he form the words?� "....and, she's dying." |
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| Jesus waits another moment.� Jairus needs this time of self-examination.� While his daughter is dying?� Yes, while little lively Leah is dying. |
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| "Jesus, please.� I'm desperate! � She could be dead by now!" |
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| StillJesus waits. |
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| "Just lay your hands on her and she'll be well," he pleads desperately.� "Lay your hands on her and she'll....she'll live." |
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| That's it, Jairus.� You've said it.� You've made the commitment.� Now Jesus is ready.� [15] |
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| Excuse me, Matthew.� I enjoyed the dinner.� But I must go now.� Care to tag along? |
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| "Would I?� You bet!� Come on, everyone!� You are about to see an actual miracle!" |
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| "Hurry!" Jairus pleads, "before she dies!" [16] |
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| Just as they leave the porch, however, a woman walks up.� Slowly.� The climb up the hill has sapped the little energy she has. |
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| Sarah walks slowly toward the crowd.� She has seen Jesus a couple times when they were in the city at the same time.� |
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| "Please, God," she prays.� "Let me recognize Jesus.� Let this be him." |
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| She spots who she believes to be Jesus and shuffles over toward him.� Does she dare touch him?� She who is unclean?� He is being escorted to a donkey to ride.� He will turn it down, but no one knows it yet. |
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| "He's getting away, God!" her heart cries out.� "He's getting away!" |
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| Hurry, Sarah!� Hurry before he is gone!� But Sarah cannot hurry.� She is so weak.� She strains to get closer Jesus.� Dare she touch him?� She feels so unworthy.� So unclean.��� |
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| "If I can just touch the hem of his robe," she thinks within herself, "he can heal me.� I know he can." [17] |
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| But the crowd is growing.� People had been loitering on the street outside waiting around to see if Jesus did anything unusual.� They have joined Matthew's guests.� How can she get closer enough? |
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| "Please, God," she whispers in alarm.� With her dignity long ago gone, Sarah stoops down and works her way through the crowd away from the broader shoulders.� It is working.� Closer and closer to Jesus.� "Please God." |
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| She sees it.� His robe.� She knows it is.� She looks up to verify and sees his face.� It is turned slightly, but she knows it is him.� At last she is close enough to grab hold of the hem on his robe.� But it slips out of her grasp.� |
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| It was enough.� Her tears flow open and free.� Her healing has flowed open and free.� Sarah knows her body is now free.� She puts her hands up to her face and weeps. |
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| The crowd moves away from her, hardly even realizing she was even there.� She stands still.� She feels it.� Strength and vitality sweeping up from her feet and everywhere through her body.� She knows.� She knows!� Yes, she knows!� She is healed!� The hemorrhaging!� It's gone!� It's gone! [18] |
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| Jesus stops. |
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| "What's wrong?" Jairus shouts.� "My little girl!� Please!� You've got to get to my little girl!� Please, Jesus!" |
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| Jesus does not move.� |
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| "Who touched my robe?" [19] |
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| You've stopped to ask who touched you?� What is wrong?� Is someone trying to harm you? �We're your friends, Jesus.� |
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Finally, Peter, the self-proclaimed spokesman, intercedes for the panicking Elder Jairus.� "The crowd is surrounding you and pushing into you.� How can you ask who touched you?" |
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"But someone did touch me," Jesus responds. |
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"Please, hurry.� My little girl...." |
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| Jesus turns around and looks among the crowd.� "I could feel power going out of me." |
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| "But, my little girl...." |
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| Undaunted, Jesus looks one by one into the faces of the crowd.� "Not you.� Nor you.� Nor you." [20] |
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| Sarah is suddenly afraid.� Did she do the wrong thing?� Did she steal a healing from him?� She moves over to stand behind some tall men. |
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| Jesus turns and works his way through the people surrounding him.� Not this way.� He turns another direction.� Not over there.� He turns yet again.� He's got to find her. |
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| "Oh, Jesus!� You promised!� Please, my Leah...." |
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| Ah!� There she is!� He walks toward Sarah.� Sarah kneels.� Trembling she kneels.� She is kneeling to divinity.� Now what?� Did she do the wrong thing?� Will he cast her out as all the other religious people had done at the synagogue?� What will happen to her now? |
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| "I'm sorry," she pleads.� "But...I had to....� I didn't touch you though.� Only your coat hem.� That is all.� I'm sorry it bothered you." [21] |
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| Jesus smiles.� "Cheer up, daughter."� Daughter?� She's older than you, and you call her daughter?� "Your faith made you well.� Your disease is gone forever." [22] |
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| While they are held up, a man on a donkey arrives.� They have hardly gone much farther than Matthew's porch.� |
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| "Elder Jairus!� Elder Jairus!� Is Elder Jairus here?� Elder Jairus?" |
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| "He's over here,"someone shouts. |
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| Jairus trembles as he sees his servant walk toward him.� He can see it in his eyes.� His lively Leah....� His lively Leah.... |
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| "I'm terribly sorry, sir.� Your daughter is dead.� Don't bother Jesus any more." [23] |
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| "Dead?� My little girl's dead?� Oh, God, no!"� Jairus turns to Jesus.� "If you'd just come when I asked you to." |
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| "Don't be afraid for her.� Just keep believing.� She'll be all right." |
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| "All right?� She's dead, Jesus!" |
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| "Come along." [24] |
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| "Stand aside, everyone!� Stand aside!"� Peter leads the procession while James and John flank Jesus.� Peter looks over at Jairus and literally pulls his elbow to get him moving. |
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| "Come on, now, Elder Jairus.� You've got to help us out here.� Where do you live?" |
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| Jairus mumbles the directions amidst his sobs.� He is so ashamed of his sobs.� Why can't he act like a man? |
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| Some time later they arrive at little lively Leah's house.� Ruth has been watching for him and comes running out to her husband.� The two embrace.� The mother and the father who had surmounted so many obstacles twelve years before.� Now in defeat.� Now in loss.� Now in utter, utter despair. |
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| "Oh, Jairus.� She's gone.� Our Leah is gone!"� The two melt into each other's arms, a study in agony. |
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| Jesus gets walks over to them.� His three apostles are close by.� They walk in together.� |
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| "Come on, now," James urges the pair.� "You've got to help us out.� Where is her room?" |
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| The pair walks in front of the little group.� Even from the street they could hear the loud crying of close relatives who have been called and are now there to comfort in this terrible time of loss.� Even a few for-hire mourners had already arrived, hoping for a little extra income. [25] |
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| "Stop all this carrying on, everyone!" Jesus shouts.� "She's not dead.� She's just having a nap!" |
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| The crying stops.� The wake halts.� Heaven pauses.�� |
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| Everyone looks over at him in derision.� How can he be so sadistic in front of these poor parents?� How insensitive!� How demeaning to their intelligence.� Of course she's dead. [26] |
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| Don't you see her there in her room?� Quiet?� Deadly quiet?� Pale with lifelessness?� Eternal lifelessness?� |
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| Jesus turns to the group of mourners and those who came with him from the dinner to see a real miracle. |
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| "Leave now.� Leave us alone with her." |
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| Quietly they look down on lively Leah's bed.� No longer lively.� Forever never again lively.� Forever dead.� Just a few hours ago alive and talking and planning.� Now dead and silent and destined for nowhere. |
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| "We named her, Leah, you know," Ruth says as she pathetically looks up at Jesus." |
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| "She has been a regular power house all her life," Jairus adds.� "But now she is still.� Forever still.� Oh, Jesus, why did you have to stall coming here?� That woman would have kept." |
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| Jesus is walking around to the other side of the bed.� He is bending over her.� Such loveliness.� Such innocence.� Such life. |
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| Life, Jesus?� You're all wrong. |
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| He is now taking little Leah's hand.� Once a strong hand.� But now a lifeless hand.� Limp.� No vitality.� No spirit. |
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| "....Hey, you play pretty good catch, Leah!" |
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| "....Well, I should.� My dad taught me back on earth." |
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| "....But you just caught balls then." |
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| "....Yeah.� Now I catch shooting stars." |
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| "....And dance along moon beams," |
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| ....But Leah and her guardian angel are suddenly interrupted. |
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| "....Leah.� You need to go back to earth now.� Your parents miss you." |
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| ....She stops and becomes pensive.� |
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| ....The angel pulls back a stardust curtain, and together they look through a tiny window.� A window that opens onto the universe.� There is a shutter in a little room far away.� They can see through it.� There is a familiar little girl on a familiar bed. |
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| "....That's me, isn't it?" |
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| "....Yes." |
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| "....Can we play again some day?" |
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| "....I promise." |
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| "Little girl...." Jesus says softly.� He smiles. |
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| She can't hear you. |
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| Can't hear him?� Can't hear the Son of God?� Can't hear her own Creator sitting there on the bed beside her?� |
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| "Little girl...." he repeats almost melodiously.� "Time to get up now." [27] |
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| Morning?� Jesus is talking like it is morning and she is just asleep?� But isn't that what he just said?� She's just asleep? |
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| Leah is opening her eyes.� Suddenly Leah isn't dead any more!� Suddenly Leah is once more lively and smiling at Jesus. |
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| "Hi, there!" |
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| Jesus smiles. |
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| "Leah?� Leah?� Is that you, Leah?" |
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| "Tell me I'm not dreaming," Ruth whispers. |
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| Jesus steps back.� Leah bounds out of bed and starts looking around at all the people in her room. |
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| "Mom?� Dad?� What are you in here crying for?� Who are all these people?� What's going on?" |
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| Jairus and Ruth rush over to their child.� On their knees, they hug her endlessly. |
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| "Leah, you were....you were....dead." |
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| "Dead?� Nah!� Just took a nap.� I had the most wonderful dream.� I was catching shooting stars with an angel." |
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| "Give Leah something to eat," Jesus urges. |
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| "Yes, indeed," John adds.� "This little girl has just come back from a long trip!" |
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| "Jesus," Elder Jairus says turning to the master healer, the master teacher.� "You know I let you preach sometimes but had to call a halt.� Pressure from Jerusalem, you know.� But after seeing this....� You have to be God.� I should have known." |
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| Desperation had set the stage.� Desperation had played its part.� And heaven applauded. |
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���������������������������������������������������������� LIFE APPLICATION |
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| 1.�������� There were more than Ten Commandments given to Moses.� He filled the Old Testament full of regulations from God covering every possible area of life.� The New Testament eliminated all of them except those that Jesus repeated in order to reinstate them.� The New Testament released us from all the rules with Jesus' blood.� Jesus was our sacrificial lamb; that is, he stood in for us as a proxy since our sins earn us only death (Romans 6:23).� Explain how God took something painful for one God-man, and turned it into triumph for the rest of us. |
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| 2.�������� Sometimes we think God is never going to answer a prayer.� Begin now to keep a daily diary of things you ask for.� Decide to review it on New Year's Eve every year. |
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| 3.�������� Probably without exception, we do not want God to delay answering any of our prayers.� But, in order to answer them, God has to shift around events and people in our world.� In this case, these people had to wait until Jesus had entered his ministry at the age of thirty, at which time he received the ability to perform miracles.� Think of a prayer you had for a long time and was finally answered.� What people and events did God have to shift around to answer your prayer? |
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