He said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep.” Mark 5:39 (NASB)
In a world full of pain and suffering, it’s hard to find hope, and nearly impossible to expect a miracle. But as I read Mark 5 today, I see something on the horizon that not only looks like hope; it might just be the miracle I’ve been believing for.
One of my favorite attributes of God is that He is omnipotent (omni=all; potent=powerful). He not only promises to never leave us (Deuteronomy 31:6), He has the ability to unleash unlimited power over my life, my dreams, and my circumstances.
In Mark 5 we read the account of Jairus, who desperately came to Jesus for a miracle—heal His daughter who was very ill. Jairus went to Jesus with faith that He could lay hands on her and make her well. But as they traveled along the road back to the little girl, they encountered some interruptions. My heart races as I visualize this suspenseful movie playing out on the big screen. This father must have been so anxious to get Jesus back to his home. If I was in his shoes—or sandals—every interruption would have skyrocketed my irritation levels or my hope would have melted like ice on a hot summer day.
It’s easy to lose sight of God’s plan because the enemy is so good at producing interruptions in our lives that take us off course. Just when a seed is about to sprout, a storm comes. Just when a miracle is about to manifest, darkness knocks at your door.
But Jesus reminds us in Mark 5, our miracles are right on schedule. Jesus gently offers hope, “she’s not dead, she is sleeping”. In other words, the miracle you asked for is right on schedule—His schedule. When the little girl’s parents could have traded hope for grieving, Jesus was there ready to offer a miracle.
Maybe you can relate to these grieving parents today. Your dreams feel completely shattered. The relationship with your spouse offers no hope for restoration. Your desire for salvation in your wayward child seems more hopeless with each passing day. Your draining job isn’t what you signed up for.
But as along as we have breath, we have hope.
We may not be able to fully understand the pain we are in, we may not able to see a miracle in our “sleeping” child, but in spite of it all, in the center of our suffering, we can know with great certainty that God is with us. He’s traveling down the road with us to our miracle. Jesus said she’s not dead. In other words, He’s not late, He’s right on schedule.
It may look like He’s going to arrive too late as you work to save your marriage, or that He’s not going to make it in time to healing your “sleeping” child, but Jesus reminds us that for what God wants to do in our circumstances, He’s is right on schedule. He’s ready to show you a miracle and reveal a different dimension you never thought possible as your story unfolds.
When Jesus arrives at the little girl’s home, He dismisses all the doubters. What they saw as dead, God sees as simply sleeping. Their lack of faith and trust brought them to the point that they were asked to step aside while a miracle was manifested. I do not want to be asked to step aside, I want a front row seat!
According to your schedule, your miracle may be “dead”, but according to God’s schedule, it’s just “sleeping.” Do you have faith like Jairus or doubt like his laughing onlookers? Are you going to be asked to step aside or invited in to witness the miracle?
Ask Jesus to remind you today that He’s walking beside as you are both headed to your miracle. Ask Him to reveal what you are to learn on the road back “home”. It might be to activate your faith, even if others laugh at you in unbelief. It might even be how He wants us to deal with life’s interruptions.
Stand firm and only believe and Jesus will invite you into the room to wake up your sleeping miracle. Instead of focusing on your agenda, your schedule, focus on God’s. His timing is perfect.
Instead of focusing on your agenda, your schedule, focus on God’s. His timing is perfect.
