After Death

“Then one of the synagog leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at His feet. He pleaded earnestly with Him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” So Jesus went with him. (Mark 5:22-24 NIV)

Jairus is of particular interest to me. He was a man who knew where to take his pain. His daughter was dying and he sought out the Savior in his hour of need. Jesus was immediately responsive to his request, even altered His course toward the dying girl. But they were interrupted along the way by the woman with the issue of blood. Can you imagine Jairus’ impatience? His daughter was at death’s door! (Hurry up and heal her, Jesus! Or maybe, Wait your turn, lady!) Finally, when the woman’s issue was resolved, they again turned towards his home as household members approached with a bad report.

“While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus the synagogue leader. Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” (Mark 5:35 NIV)

I try to imagine the way the lights went out for Jairus when he heard his little girl was gone. If it was me, you’d surely have to scrape me up off the street. My knees go weak even thinking about it. How do parents keep breathing when their babies stop? I don’t know.

Jairus believed the immediate report. The girl was dead. What can be done? I suspect Jairus was ready to die in the road where he got the news. But Jesus spoke directly to him:

“Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid, just believe.” (Mark 5:36 NIV)

In the crush of grief, Jesus asks us, really dares us, to look more closely at Him and to hold out for His forthcoming reality. As believers, our existence will not end in death. Our loved ones fall asleep and when that sleep comes we’ll be tempted to forget about the promise yet to come. That is why it is imperative that we pull close to our Savior and trust His report over our own crashing emotions.

It seems kind of obvious, but it’s hard to maintain faith when we are far away. Faith is cultivated by closeness, nurtured through nearness. We need Christ and we need other believers. The trouble with grief is it’s automatic isolation.

Loss slows us down and singles us out. The calendar pages keep turning, the sun still rises and sets, the people all around us march on but we are stuck, mired in the last hour or day we knew our loved one as living. The grieving carry sorrow with them wherever they go, an out-of-season overcoat that cannot be cast off. This bulk of this parka excludes us from others and even the activities we previously enjoy. Friendships wane, because who knows how to sit with the grieving? And our faith falters because God can feel far off, too.

But today, Jesus tells the grieving father to stay close. It seems He locks eyes with this devastated dad as he says “Don’t be afraid, just believe.”

Of course, we know the rest of this story. Jesus sends the unbelieving out of the room. Perhaps the freshly grieving should go and do likewise (Maybe it’s best to spend the grievers limited energy with those that promote personal faith in the face of loss.) Then Jesus took the dead girl’s hand and she lived again. Can you imagine her father’s reaction? How in a single moment, his grief was completely eclipsed by joy?

As believers we know the raising of Jairus’ daughter to be a type. This encounter is a widow to what will eventually happen for every believer if they’ll just maintain faith despite the darkness, despite the immediate despair and defeat. This is why we must stay near to Jesus amidst bereavement. We must keep our eyes on Him and our ears attuned to His word. Yes, today looks grim, but He is leading us toward a better tomorrow if we’ll only stay near and believe. We recall that there was a day where things looked pretty grim for our Savior, as well. Three days of darkness, truly. Yet He was raised from death to life and He promises us, this was only the first act.

“But in fact, Christ has been raised form the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.” (1 Corinthian 1:20-22 NLT)

Lord, please forgive us for letting grief get in the way of faith. Help us lock eyes with You again, hearing Your words and trusting Your instructions. Help us to grieve like men and women with hope. May we commit to stay close in this journey from death to life. You are faithful and we will trust You. Amen.

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so that you will not grieve like pope who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with Him the believers who have died.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 NLT)

On a more personal note: something I am realizing in my own journey with grief is how much my self-control diminishes when I am hurting. This lack lowers my resistance for sin; primarily in my thought life, which is a precursor to my actual life. As I’m considered this self-control crisis, I’m choosing to respond with intentionality. I composed a list of ways to pull close to Jesus and thus move further away from sin.

Practical Ways for Grieving People to Pull Close to Jesus:

• Spend considerable time in the scripture. (this can be accomplished through reading, listening or meditating)
• Play worship whenever possible. (allow the words to minister to your broken heart)
• Observe a Daily Office or centering prayer. (at least twice a day)
• Take prayer and worship walks. (sunshine and fresh air plus movement provides endorphins)
• Utilize your prayer language often. (the Spirit intercedes through us in perfect alignment with God’s will)