Day 11 | March 14 | Mark 5:35-6:6

Interruptions, interruptions, interruptions. We all deal with interruptions in our lives.

As we saw yesterday, Jairus had approached Jesus with an urgent request. His daughter was sick, and he had tried everything. He was desperate so he approached the miracle worker from Nazareth who had just appeared on the shore of his town.

However, as they started off on this urgent mission, there was an interruption. A lady who should not have been there, who should have been crying “Unclean! Unclean!” to ward others away from her, actually interrupted the procession by pushing through the crowd and touching the hem of Jesus’ garment. Jesus stopped to take care of her need.

Meanwhile, the interruption has caused a delay that results in the death of Jairus’ daughter. The news came and could have hit him hard. “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the teacher anymore?”

But Jesus was not hampered by the delay. He went with Jairus to his home. There, he finds the mourners already in position, already playing the funeral dirges, already weeping and wailing and beating their chests in the prescribed manner.

And, when Jesus proclaims that the girl is not dead but only asleep—they laugh at him. Who is this young upstart who wasn’t here and just arrived, who hasn’t even seen the girl, yet can declare that she is just asleep?

It was the interruption that caused the delay that resulted in death, but now, here he was. At the site. Entering the room, touching the dead body.

And, despite the interruptions, the results were miraculous. The girl rose up from her bed.
We all deal with interruptions in our lives. What do you do with the interruptions? Can you see beyond them to what lies ahead? Can you display the faith of Jairus who still went forward in the hope that Jesus would take care of the situation? Will you put your faith in Jesus who wants to walk with you through the crowds that interrupt your quest? In the midst of those interruptions, Jesus stands firmly at the center wanting us to have faith.