While He was still speaking, some people came from the synagogue official’s house saying [to Jarius], “Your daughter has died; why bother the Teacher any longer?” Overhearing what was being said, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; only keep on believing [in Me and my power].”

- Mark 5:35-36 AMP

In Mark chapter 5, we are introduced to Jarius, a synagogue official who desperately made his way through the multitude that surrounded Jesus and prostrated himself before the Lord, pleading Him to heal his daughter who was dying.

Now, there’s no mention of Jesus replying or saying “Yes, I will” or “Go in faith your daughter is healed”, rather it says, “and Jesus went with him”. His response was silent at the time of Jarius’ plea.

It wasn’t until 10 scriptures down that Jesus finally arrives to Jarius’ home, but he didn’t heal the child for she was already dead. Instead, he brought new life into her body and traded healing for the miracle of resurrection.

The same miracle people advised “why bother”, the same miracle that in all appearances and evidence was dead was the same miracle Jarius held on to.

But God did what only God can do… immeasurably more than what Jarius could ask or imagine.

Only God can resurrect a miracle that seems impossible…a hope…a prayer from death to life and say “she was only asleep”.

But, before Jarius received his miracle, he watched and waited while Jesus was pursued by the crowd and performed a miracle on someone else.

Can you imagine what was going through Jarius’ mind and heart at that time? Was he anxious? Was he afraid? Could he have felt angry, “How could Jesus stop to heal this woman? Did he not hear me! My daughter is dying!” Was he losing hope because he was losing time?

Jarius was stuck in the middle…between his mess and his miracle.

What would you do in the middle?

From the time Jarius made his plea known to Jesus, we don’t read anything more coming from him in the following scriptures.

That can imply that he remained silent...watching and waiting.

I believe that Jarius’ love for his daughter, his desperation and his faith in Jesus helped him remain focused and steadfast despite how he felt; in spite of it appearing as if his “mess” was less significant than those in the crowd; in spite of it seeming as if Jesus’ attention was no longer on him; in spite of the whispers around him; in spite of the silence.

What strikes me is when Jesus finally speaks Jarius, “don’t be afraid; KEEP on believing”.

That was the key. Jarius never stopped believing or else Jesus may have said instead “just believe”.

At this point, there was still no miracle yet, but Jesus gave him a word and spoke to the faith and trust Jarius was holding on to. In spite of the silence in the middle Jarius remained close to Jesus.

“KEEP ON BELIEVING IN ME AND MY POWER!”

Do you have a miracle you’ve been praying for? Is there a dream or hope that looks impossible or has slowly died over time?

That prayer that has you prostrated before the Lord; that thing that brings you to your knees, tears saturating the ground beneath you as you struggle to utter the words with every breath just as painful as the next?

Like Jarius, are you waiting and watching from the middle of your mess and miracle? I am.

Some days I can remain focused and steadfast on the word and God’s promises; even in those intimate moments of revelation with the Holy Spirit but then I have those days when I’m questioning while I’m watching and waiting in the middle of my mess…in the middle of the silence.

It’s when I question what I thought I knew, what I thought I heard, what I believed was for me.

When I convince myself that it was all just an emotional response coming from the tunnels of desperation for affirmation and confirmation for a word...an answer I longed for. But thank God for the Holy Spirit who gives discernment and guides us and reveals all Truths!

Prayer,
Here I am Lord with the very things I hold dearly; waiting on the sidelines…feeling alone, different, many times forgotten and even ashamed. I wait and watch to finally stand in the joy of my miracle moment rather than live in all the moments of everyone else. Lord, you can do immeasurably more than what I can ask, think, imagine or pray. I will KEEP BELIEVING in YOU and your power. Here I am Lord.

With Love,
Jasmine Marrero