Jairus was a man who knew about faith and fear. In the midst of a crisis; while his daughter lay dying at home, he went to find Jesus. While this may seem like desperation, it was more than that. This tells me that seeking out Jesus was his way of pushing through and conquering that fear. He had obviously tried all that he could for his daughter. So, after doing all that he could, he chose to go to a man who had been labeled by many to be a fraud. He didn’t believe that. He went because his faith gave him the strength to go.

Jairus’ strength in the midst of such turmoil in his life, could have only come from the practice of living in God’s Word. I’ve spent my entire life studying the scriptures as a Sunday School student, a ministry assistant then a leader and now as a counselor to my family and friends. The more I study the more my fear of the unknown fades. I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me!

In this verse, I believe God is telling me that no matter what the circumstances, no matter how dismal things may seem, I can always seek him and his ways to help me out of a bad situation or to help me feel better. He is also telling me not to believe everything I hear. The moment Jairus hung his head after hearing that his daughter was dead, Jesus stepped in and lifted him back up. That part of the story encourages me! Its saying to me, “even when there is no life left in you, raise your head and look to me for strength”. I’ve had those moments in life…during an ugly and abusive first marriage and when I was laid off after 7 fruitful years with a company I loved working for during the recession.

This verse reinforces my belief that there is life after death and that through God, I can regroup and create life.