This past week I preached a sermon titled "Pardon the Interruption" on Mark 5:21-43. I chose this title because I must confess that I enjoy watching the ESPN show by the same title. When I read the sermon I was moved by the way in which Jesus was able to put everything to the side in order to listen to, connect with, and commend this woman. I hope two things were apparent in my sermon: (1)God is never too busy to be with us and to listen to our prayers and (2) some interruptions can be opportunities for us to listen to, care about, and be fully present with others. God is present with us and calls us to be present with others.
But I almost preached a different sermon. I was amazed by how these two stories relate to one another. Both stories contain the themes of touch, fear, and faith. And when both stories are read together they have something to say about the nature of time.
Touch:
Jairus, the synagogue leader, asks Jesus to touch his daughter so that she might be saved from death. The sick woman wants to touch Jesus so that she might be saved from her sickness. Jairus was a leader in the synagogue, while the woman was an outsider because of her condition. And yet both of them are in need of touch. Jairus wants Jesus to touch his daughter, while the woman wants to touch Jesus. Humans need touch to survive and we all crave connection. I am reminded of the grannies in Romania that volunteer to hold and rock orphans. I like to think that both the child and the granny can give each other an experience of touching God. As we touch the lives of others and the lives of others touch us - we are reminded that God is with us.
Fear and Faith:
When Jesus asks "who touched me?" the woman comes forward with fear and trembling. She knew that if a rabbi was touched be an unclean woman that he would be considered unclean and would be unable to continue his duties for the day. She was probably afraid that she would be scolded for her action, and yet Jesus takes the time to listen to her and to commend her faith. While Jesus is still speaking, messengers arrive with the news that Jairus' daughter is dead. Jesus quickly turns to Jairus and says, "do not be afraid, just believe." The greek word for "believe" can also be translated as "have faith." After the woman has been healed and comes forward to be in the presence of Jesus, he commends her faith. After the death of his daughter, Jesus tells Jairus not to be afraid, but to have faith. It is faith that assures us that Jesus is always with us. It is faith that helps us overcome our fears. When we are faced with our fears, we must remember that we do not face them alone - God is with us. Death no longer has the last say. While the crowd laughs at Jesus for saying that the girl is asleep, we can now laugh at death because it is but an interruption that leads to eternal life.
God's Time:
Time is very significant in this passage. Mark uses the interruption of the sick woman to make us wonder if Jesus will make it to save the dying girl in time. Jesus takes time to be with the woman. Jesus is human and therefore limited by time, but he is not limited by death - he has the power to resurrect the child. This is why Jesus tells his disciples that it is good for him to go, so that we might receive the Spirit. By the power of God and through the gift of the Spirit, Jesus is able to be with each and everyone of us.
Every once in a while I will have one of those "aha" moments, when the lights turn on and I suddenly see something in a new and exciting way. When I read that the woman had been sick for twelve years I figured that Mark included that detail because it demonstrates how long she had been in pain and how ineffective the doctors were in healing her. But I wondered why Mark included the age of the girl that Jesus raises from the dead. And then it hit me - the woman had been sick for the same amount of time that the girl had been alive! Twelve years is a long time to be sick. But twelve years seems like an incredibly short time to spend with someone you love. What a difference some perspective can make. We can receive some comfort from knowing that even the hurts that endure for years will have an end. And we can celebrate life knowing that each moment we have with our loved ones is a gift. Jesus did not disregard the woman for the sake of the girl - he made time for both. God has all the time in the world for you. Even though God may not do things according to your plan, God does work in God's time. As you experience the ups and downs of life, do not be afraid, just believe!
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