Reflection on Mark 5:35-36
35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.”
Our world is a place of constant fearfulness. We live in the 24-hour news cycle of stories that cause us heart ache, despair and to be filled with fear.
Stories of death and disease, stories of disaster and despair if we are not careful will give way to a despair in our own hearts and minds and we will be overwhelmed by, and overcome by… fear.
So, what can quell our fears? What can alleviate our worries and drown our despair? When our hearts are overwhelmed, anxious, troubled, fear filled… what can dispel the storm of fear?
Jesus says to this father who has just been told that his daughter has died not to fear but rather to believe. Jesus shortly after this raises his 12-year-old daughter back to life. Fear is overcome with “amazement” in these parents’ hearts.
Truth be told we live in a fearful world; we live in a place where brokenness surrounds us and indwells us and we are tempted to give way to fear. And we can come up with all sorts of phrases to seek to drive out these fears but in the end our fears can still dominate, and they can still become reality no matter how positive we try to be.
The Only Hope we have is the One who is the King over our fears. Jesus came to give us a glimpse into what His kingdom will be like: a place without death and disease, a place without disaster and despair… a place without fear.
Jesus came to destroy the one who has the power of death (the devil) and to deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery (Hebrews 2:14). Jesus did this when He went to the cross and took on our all our sins, all our wrongdoings – He suffered for us, in our place to make us right with God, to take away our fear of judgement.
To trust in Jesus does not mean we will not suffer, even deeply so, but it does mean that we do not need to give way to fear like the world because Jesus has conquered our greatest fear, our greatest enemy: even death itself. And by trusting in Jesus we will enjoy eternal fearlessness in His love and freedom forever.
certainhopeinhopelessness 