God’s Guiding Word: Discipleship
Introduction
Mark 5:21–43: Jesus returns to the other side of the lake and is back in Jewish territory where he is met by a large crowd. An official from the local synagogue begs Jesus to heal his daughter. Within the crowd, a woman seeks to be healed and approaches Jesus and touches his cloak.
Scripture Reading
21 Jesus went back across to the other side of the lake. There at the lakeside a large crowd gathered around him. 22 Jairus, an official of the local synagogue, arrived, and when he saw Jesus, he threw himself down at his feet 23 and begged him earnestly, “My little daughter is very sick. Please come and place your hands on her, so that she will get well and live!”
24 Then Jesus started off with him. So many people were going along with Jesus that they were crowding him from every side.
25 There was a woman who had suffered terribly from severe bleeding for twelve years, 26 even though she had been treated by many doctors. She had spent all her money, but instead of getting better she got worse all the time. 27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came in the crowd behind him, 28 saying to herself, “If I just touch his clothes, I will get well.”
29 She touched his cloak, and her bleeding stopped at once; and she had the feeling inside herself that she was healed of her trouble. 30 At once Jesus knew that power had gone out of him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
31 His disciples answered, “You see how the people are crowding you; why do you ask who touched you?”
32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 The woman realized what had happened to her, so she came, trembling with fear, knelt at his feet, and told him the whole truth. 34 Jesus said to her, “My daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your trouble.”
35 While Jesus was saying this, some messengers came from Jairus’ house and told him, “Your daughter has died. Why bother the Teacher any longer?”
36 Jesus paid no attention to[a] what they said, but told him, “Don’t be afraid, only believe.” 37 Then he did not let anyone else go on with him except Peter and James and his brother John. 38 They arrived at Jairus’ house, where Jesus saw the confusion and heard all the loud crying and wailing. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this confusion? Why are you crying? The child is not dead—she is only sleeping!”
40 They started making fun of him, so he put them all out, took the child’s father and mother and his three disciples, and went into the room where the child was lying. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha, koum,” which means, “Little girl, I tell you to get up!”
42 She got up at once and started walking around. (She was twelve years old.) When this happened, they were completely amazed. 43 But Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone, and he said, “Give her something to eat.”
Today’s Key Verse: Mark 5:34
Jesus said to her, “My daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your trouble.”
Reflect
Today we read about two healing miracles performed by Jesus. Jairus’s request for Jesus to heal his daughter is interrupted by the healing of the woman with the flow of blood. According to Levitical law, her illness made her ritually unclean (Leviticus 15:19–30). What risk did she take by approaching Jesus? When Jesus arrived at Jairus’s house, why did the people make fun of him? What do these two healings teach you about faith?
Pray
Lord Jesus, you call us as daughters and sons, ushering in the Kingdom of God, and beckoning us to follow you. Strengthen my faith as I seek to do your will. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
Mark 8:1–26: Jesus feeds four thousand people and heals a blind man.