Waiting on Jesus, part 16: believing the unbelievable

While He was still speaking, someone came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, "Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher anymore." But when Jesus heard this, He answered him, "Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be made well." (Luke 8:49-50 NASB)

"Only believe".  It sounds like it should be easy to do, doesn't it? "Don't  waste any more time being afraid, Jairus. Only believe and she will be made well," Jrsus told Jairus. The woman with the hemorrhage was told her faith was the vital part that brought healing. In this instance, the word used is a little different. The word used here is pisteuō. Translated as "believe", it is more than faith in Jesus as the Son of God. It requires entrusting our concern to Him. 

Until this point, Jairus was in charge of the daughter's healing. He had recruited Jesus and was on the way to a cure. Entrusting the daughter's illness to Jesus meant Jairus was no longer making the decisions. Jesus was in charge and Jairus was submitting to whatever Jesus decided. The girl had died. All hope was gone. Why not entrust the situation to Jesus?  

Why not, indeed? What Jairus found was that, at the end of all hope, Jesus was all he had. As it turned out, Jesus was all he needed. We will soon see the amazing way Jesus dealt with the little girl. At the end, it was worth it to trust Jesus. 

It is no less "worth it" to entrust our utterly hopeless situations to Jesus today. Jesus stands willing to help, willing to show Himself strong on our behalf. There is only one requirement. pisteuō. Entrust our situation to the only One who can intervene. 

Are you struggling with a difficult situation?  Is a loved one's predicament of great concern? Perhaps what is needed is pisteuō, entrusting that problem to Jesus. 

For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." (2 Chronicles 16:9 NASB)

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Link to last night's post: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/09/lessons-from-battlefield-part-16.html

Waiting on Jesus, part 15:

While He was still speaking, someone came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, "Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher anymore." But when Jesus heard this, He answered him, "Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be made well." (Luke 8:49-50 NASB)

For the last several days, we have looked at the woman with the hemorrhage. What is easy to forget is that this passage began as a story about Jairus and his dying daughter. Jairus, you may remember, had approached Jesus and asked Him to accompany him to his house to see his only daughter who was near death.  Jesus had immediately started toward the girl. 

In the midst of His going, the woman with the hemorrhage had stopped Jesus by touching the fringe on His robe. She was instantly healed and Jesus had paused to chat with her. Just as He was about to resume His journey with Jairus, news came from the home of Jairus. "Your daughter has died. Stop bothering Jesus and come home."

Selah. Pause and consider this. 

Imagine how Jairus must have felt. He had humbled himself at the feet of Jesus before a crowd of people. He had almost gotten Jesus to his house. Help was so close, but not close enough. If only that woman with the hemorrhage had not stopped Jesus... If only Jesus hadn't stopped to talk to her... If only... Jairus had done all he could humanly do, but it wasn't quite enough, soon enough. If only... 

Just as Jairus was about to collapse with grief, Jesus said a surprising thing. "Do not be afraid any longer. Only believe." Just when it seemed like there was no more need for believing, nothing left to fear, that all hope was gone, Jesus was offering hope. In fact, He was offering an astounding promise. "Stop fearing, keep believing. She will be made well."  When all hope was seemingly gone, Jesus was still able to do more than Jairus could comprehend. 

The girl was dead. Nothing humanly possible could be done. There was not one thing Jairus could do for his daughter. There was nothing he could do, that is, except stop fearing and start trusting. In the midst of utter hopelessness, total failure, a situation beyond redemption, there was still Jesus, and Jesus was all that was needed. 

Do you face a situation of utter hopelessness, total failure, a situation beyond redemption?  When all your hope is gone, when there is no way you can "fix it", stop fearing and keep trusting. Trust Jesus, who can do exceeding abundantly beyond all you can hope or think, (Eph 3:20) and wait for Him to do what only He can do. 

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Link to last night's post: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/09/lessons-from-battlefield-part-15.html

Waiting on Jesus, part 14:

And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace." (Luke 8:48 NASB)

"Go in peace," Jesus said to the woman who had been healed. Peace. What a beautiful thought! The woman had spent the last twelve years dealing with a hemorrhage, unclean as a result, isolated, alone. Her illness had changed her life, her relationships. It had been costly, and not just financially. She must have had twelve years of grief and inner turmoil. In an instant, she was made well. In an instant, Jesus replaced her turmoil with peace. 

The word translated as "peace" is not shalom, as you might expect. Shalom is usually used to indicate a state of "wholeness" or "at one".  The word used here is eirēnē. This word is more indicative of relationships, and signifies harmony in relationships with God and men. It indicates an inner quiet, free of turmoil, dissension, and strife. 

For a woman who had endured twelve very hard years, during which she had been isolated and become impoverished as a result of the disease, there must have been a tendency toward resentment and anger, if not toward God, then toward those around her. "Let it go," He was saying. Jesus was telling her to leave the resentment, anger, dissension behind. She was not only to go healed, she was to go forth in harmony with all around her. She was to go "in peace".  

His instruction to go in peace indicates a responsibility on her part for the peace. Her healing had come through a well-made choice of faith in Jesus and well-done action to reach out to Him. Her peace would come through an ongoing choice for harmony. 

Those three words, go in peace, sound lovely and simple, don't they? They are simple, but they are also filled with the challenge of a lifetime. How often are you tempted toward disharmony, either toward God or man? Choose peace. There may be disagreements with others, and there are times when standing up for right requires unavoidable conflict. Even in the midst of those difficulties, we can have inner peace. We should have inner peace. 

The words of Jesus for the woman who was healed are words we would do well to heed. Is there anger, dissension, resentment in your heart?  Let it go, and go in peace. 

Pray today that we and our loved ones would be so filled with the harmony of peace that it would spill over to all we meet. 

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Link to last night's post: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/09/nibbling-on-hay.html

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ISIS has been threatening to behead another journalist, and may well have already done it. Please pray for those in their captivity and their families, those in leadership who need to choose a response to this tyranny, as well as for divine intervention in this situation. 

Waiting on Jesus, part 13: Made Whole

And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace." (Luke 8:48 NASB)

The phrase "has made you well" is a translation of the word sōzō.  This is a lovely term that could also be translated as "made you whole" or "saved you". "Your faith has made you whole." Indeed, that is what faith should do, isn't it? It should bring us to the One who can fix every broken part, every part that is imperfect. It should keep us near to Him until all is restored, made new, made whole.  

For the woman with the hemorrhage, "made whole" was more than a cessation  of her hemorrhage. It included a healing of the isolation of twelve years spent as "unclean".  All the years of loss, frustration, fear, and hurt had left a deep wound, but through her faith, they, too, were made whole. 

Isn't that what God would like to do through our faith?  Isn't that what He will do, if we allow it? Imagine your life "made whole".  What a change He could make if we reached out to Him with faith as the woman did and allowed His power to flow through us! Nothing held back. Nothing off-limits. 

Today, pray that we and our loved ones would stop holding back and give ourselves to the wholeness that only Christ can bring. 

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Link to last night's post: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/09/lessons-from-battlefield-part-14-one.html

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Waiting on Jesus, part 12:

And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace." (Luke 8:48 NASB)

"Your faith has made you well," He said to the woman. The word translated as "faith" is pistis and indicates a firm conviction of truth. For this woman, her pistis, her faith, in Jesus was so absolute that she could reach out and touch the fringe of His garment with confidence, certain that His power would flow through her, and it did. 

She was not trusting in the power of the fringe. She was trusting in Jesus as the Son of God, Messiah and Savior. In reaching out to Him, she was staking her life, her health, and her eternity on that belief. 

In our culture, there is a temptation to put our trust in ourselves and our ability to be productive.  We want to be "self-made".  Like toddlers, we want to "do it myself".  On the flip side, we also have a tendency to leave government in charge. When the poor have needs, our first thought is of what governmental agency should take responsibility. When we see injustice around the world, we ask not what we should do but what our government will do. 

The faith that transforms lives and brings healing and wholeness is not faith in ourselves nor faith in governmental entities. The faith that transforms is faith in Christ alone. When we reach out to Him in faith, we can be certain His power will flow through us. He will strengthen and empower us. He will make a difference in the world around us. 

In what or whom is our faith?  To what do we cling in times of trouble? In whom have we staked our life as well as our eternity? Be very certain that to which you cling has eternal significance. In Christ alone is our hope and our strength. Be sure He is your source of hope and strength as well. 

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Link to last night's post: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/08/lessons-from-battlefield-part-13.html

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Waiting on Jesus, part 11: Stuck like glue

And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. And Jesus said, "Who is the one who touched Me?" And while they were all denying it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You." (Luke 8:43-45 NASB)

haptō. We've seen this word before. It Is translated here as "touched" but it literally means "to adhere to", "to fasten to", or "to kindle a fire".  It is the word used to describe Jesus' healing touch of the leper in Luke 5, the healing, resuscitative touch of Jesus for the boy who had died in Luke 7, and the touch of the woman with the alabaster vial. This is not just a passing brush on the shoulder. This is a life-changing touch that lights a flame in our hearts and connects us to Jesus, adheres us to Jesus, so that we remain with Him. It is a touch we never forget. 

It is how the woman with the hemmorhage touched Jesus.  haptō. It was a momentary touch, lasting just a few seconds, but it changed her life, and likely all in the crowd who heard her story, forever. For the woman, the fire of His power flowed through her and healed her, but that haptō also adhered her heart to Christ. It set her free to tell of the miraculous intervention of Jesus and the healing power of His touch. 

Have you experienced the haptō touch of Christ? Do you know the fire of His love in your heart? Have you encountered the cleansing and healing that haptō can bring? Are you adhered to Him because of that touch? Reach out to Jesus. In less time than you can imagine, that touch can bring healing, hope, and freedom, changing your life forever. Imagine that! The most amazing thing is that it starts with a single touch. 

Pray today that we and our loved ones would reach out and haptō Jesus, adhering our lives to His and allowing Him to do His work in us. 

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Here's the link to last night's post:  http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/08/lessons-from-battlefield-part-12.html

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Here's the link to the radical obedience/terrorist prayers for the week: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/08/friday-night-with-friends-radical.html

Waiting on Jesus, part 9: Who Touched Me?

And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. And Jesus said, "Who is the one who touched Me?" And while they were all denying it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You." But Jesus said, "Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me." (Luke 8:43-46 NASB)

The woman with the hemorrhage came up behind Jesus and touched the fringe (or tassels) at the edge of His garment (prayer shawl or tallit). She had been hemorrhaging for twelve years, but, when she touched that fringe, she was instantly healed. Instantly, miraculously healed. It is human nature to attribute healing to anything except God Himself. We could easily think that it was her faith that healed her, the reaching out that healed her, or even "magic tassels" that healed her. 

Lest we deceive ourselves with foolishness, Jesus quickly set things straight. "Who touched Me?" He asked. Peter was so surprised! "Jesus, are You kidding? These people are crowding in here like a bunch of sardines! Everyone is touching You!" "No, Peter," Jesus said. "Someone did touch Me. I could feel power go from Me to them."  With those words, He clarified the source of healing. It had nothing to do with anything good in the woman or anything magical in the tassels. Healing came as a result of he power of God flowing from Jesus to the woman. Healing always comes as a result of the power of God. 

Many people touched Jesus that day. They brushed against Him as they walked along in the crowd, and later, they probably told their friends and family about touching Jesus. There was only one of those touches that resulted in healing, however. Those brushing past had a variety of reasons for being near Jesus. The woman who was healed reached out to Him with the firm hope that His power would change her, and it did. She too touched Jesus that day, and the miraculous result is one we are still celebrating more than two thousand years later. 

For what reason do you touch Jesus? Are you brushing past in the crowd, eager to finish the allotted time? Are you just part of the crowd, enjoying the show? Are you reaching out to Him with a desperate need to be changed? Just as He did that day long ago, Jesus knows the purpose of your contact. He knows why you are there, and He knows when the power flows. 

Pray today that our motivations (and those of our loved ones) for attending church services and going about the routines of our faith would be pure and that we would desire to be changed into the image of Christ so that we could be made whole. 

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Link to last night's post: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/08/lessons-from-battlefield-grateful-heart.html

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Please pray for our precious brothers and sisters in Nigeria who are struggling because of the tyranny of Boko Haram and their persecution of Christians. Do not forget that they are allies of ISIS (Islamic State).