Mark 5

So I’ve had this girlfriend for the past six months. She is twelve (two years younger than me). She’s the daughter of a synagogue-leader named Jairus, who lives near a lake. One day, my girlfriend became very sick, to the point where she was on her deathbed. I was devastated, confused, heartbroken, and angry at God when I heard the news that my girlfriend was about to die. But I remembered that Jesus could cure people. I’d even seen it! So I told Jairus to ask Jesus to cure her, and he went out to search for him. I followed from a distance so I could see Jesus’ response without being seen. Jairus was pleading earnestly with him, falling at his feet. Jairus was saying, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” So Jesus agreed and went with him. I leapt for joy. My girl was going to be healed BY JESUS!

But on the way back to the house we passed a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. It was gross to look at her, and the poor lady had apparently suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors, spending all she had but only getting worse. I could not really think about her pain while we were walking past though. I did not even stop to pray for her at the moment because my thoughts were on my dying girlfriend. But the woman, who had apparently heard about Jesus, came up and touched the edge of his cloak. Apparently she was thinking, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Sure enough, her bleeding immediately stopped.

Jesus turned around and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” In my head, I was screaming, “That lady! But she’s FINE now. Let’s keep moving.” I couldn’t hear exactly what was going on after that, but Jesus was talking with his disciples and to the crowd, and the lady who had been bleeding fell at his feet in faith. But while Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” Jairus and I both broke down crying. But Jesus just turned to him – they still hadn’t seen me – and said, “Don’t be afraid. Just believe.”

So Jesus and a few of his disciples headed back to the house with Jairus, and me closely following. There were mourners outside the house, and Jesus said the most bizarre thing: “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” Everyone laughed between sobs. Jesus took her by the hand and said, “Little girl, get up!” And she did. It was a miracle! I had witnessed yet another miracle of Jesus – actually two today – and one was with someone I KNEW!! This guy is somethin’ else….