"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."
Her parents were amazed; but He instructed them to tell no one what had happened." (Luke 8:49-50, 56 NAS95S)
Observation: There are times in our lives when we hear the message "do not trouble the Teacher anymore." Maybe it's the death of a loved one, maybe it's a moral fall, maybe it's a lack of faith. But at some point we come to a place where we feel all our efforts have failed... even our efforts to seek help from the Almighty.
Why He may even be walking by our side, and for whatever reason, we come to the place were that message seems so clear and so clarion that in must be true: "Don't trouble the teacher anymore!"
Ah, but in that moment of utter despair, in that moment when all seems lost, in that moment when our worst fears seem to be coming true, Jesus says to us: "Do not be afraid, Only Believe."
When Hope seems lost, Only Believe! When uncertainty is certain, Only Believe! When you loose your job and don't know how you will provide for your family, Only Believe! When your spouse walks out on you, Only Believe! When your home is destroyed by a natural disaster, Only Believe. When you get the news that your child was killed while on active duty, Only Believe.
There are moments in life where the only thing we can do is Believe.
1 comment:
It's interesting that you would bring up this story, Jim. I've been thinking about it all week.
One thought that comes to mind is, when they said, "Do not trouble the teacher" in the hour of death--that was plausible if Jesus was just a teacher. But not only was He the best teacher of all time--He was the Lord of life! Sometimes the messes that we find ourselves in call for more than wisdom--we need life-giving power!
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