more on fear and faith

Monday, January 26, 2009

Daily Office, ESV

Mark 5:21-43

"Do not fear, only believe."
(Mark 5:36)

This could be my daily word, probably for the rest of my life. Interesting how this theme keeps coming up in this section of Mark's gospel...

In this case, it is spoken to Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue, who came to Jesus asking him to come lay his hand on his daughter and heal her because she was sick and at the point of death. Jesus doesn't say a word, but does go with Jairus - presumably to do exactly what Jairus requested.

While they are on the way to Jairus' house, word comes that his daughter has died, no need to trouble the teacher (interesting reference in this context) any further. It is here that Jesus says, "Do not fear, only believe."

Of course, on one level this word is spoken with regard to the dead little girl and that Jesus can still make her well and live. But I hear a couple of other things here also. Not only is Jesus saying "believe that I can raise her up," but "believe that I am willing to lay my hand on her (as ritually unclean and wrong for a "Teacher," or any observant Jew, as being touched by a bleeding woman...) and restore her to life." "Believe that you and your daughter (cf. v. 34) are not untouchables, not out of reach, not hopeless cases cut off from community and from life;" and further, "believe that I do not consider it further trouble (cf. "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" 4:38). Believe that I'm in this with you, that I will not leave or forsake you, that there is no limit to the trouble to which I will endure for you to rescue and restore you."

There is so much, once again, to explore regarding what we fear, and how that drives unbelief. It is as common to all people, I think, as it is unique to each individual: from our dear friend, and his family, who has been faithfully fighting cancer and recently learned it has appeared in his brain, to another friend who has a child struggling with loss and coping with drugs, to those whose income, or even job, has been cut due to the recession, to those young people trying to find meaningful jobs in this economy, to the deep questions of "Am I loved?" "Am I significant?" "Am I secure?"

It is good to keep reflecting and praying and being radically honest with our fears and distrust / unbelief. It is also good to recognize that passages like this are not absolute promises of physical healing this side of the "kingdom come," but signs of that restoration begun, of where it is all moving if we believe in Jesus, and again, that we must not fear that our condition or situation (or possible condition or situation, for after all many of our fears are not of a present problem but a future possibility) is beyond his reach, beyond his concern, too much trouble.

We have blazing evidence to the contrary - not only in his incarnation, but in his passion and cross and resurrection and ascension. Thanks be to God.

P.S. Isn't the whole epistle of Galatians which we begin reading today, another way of God saying "do not fear, only believe"?