In popular culture, an inspirational Disney movie has always had the ability to portray impossible things as possible. An ugly beast can turn into a handsome prince, heroes can both fly and disappear when their enemies attack, the good guy really does win and gets the princess, and all of your dreams can come true – if you just believe. Sigh. Part of me so wants to believe that, still. Fairytales really captured my childish imagination, transporting me instantly into the world of the believable unbelievable. My collection of fairy tales, which were actual paper books in those days, was dog-eared and well read from my earliest memories of reading.

Ages before Disney, the Brothers Grimm (Cinderella), and Hans Christian Anderson (The Emperor’s New Clothes) came up with unbelievable scenarios spun for children to believe in, the biblical Jesus, in his life and ministry in Galilee, asked real people to believe in His absolute power to do impossible things.

Such as, heal those who have been sick for decades and spent all their money for treatment by doctors who hadn’t found a cure.  Restore a tormented man, unfit to live in society, to his right mind. Pronounce a child who has no pulse and is stone cold dead as alive and breathing. These are just a few of Jesus’ actions in Mark 4:35 – 5:43.One of these stories, under the heading Jesus Heals a Woman and Jairus’ Daughter in the ESV version, jumped out at me this week. One of the rulers of the synagogue, a respected influential, and wealthy man in the Jewish community, comes to Jesus with faith. Jairus believes in Jesus’ miracle-working powers. If he did not that Jesus could heal, he would not have humbled himself (falling at his feet) or implored him with the words “Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.”

Although he starts to go with Jairus, Jesus never makes it to Jairus’ house. On the way there, He is stopped by someone from the great crowd jostling around him. A woman in the crowd has pushed through to Jesus and grabbed His robe. In that act of faith, this unknown woman receives His power and “feels in her body that she was healed of her disease.” (v.28) We don’t know the amount of time that passes as Jesus sorts out what happened and identifies and speaks to the woman who touched him.

Was is only minutes? Or even an hour? It was enough time for Jairus’ daughter to die on her sickbed. Jairus receives this news from a few friends who were with his daughter. He hears his friends tell him, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”

And then, before it even registers in his brain that Jesus had run out of time and it was all over, he heard a deeper, quieting voice. “Do not fear, only believe.” 

I find this scene remarkable. The compassion of Jesus is on full display as He speaks these words to Jairus. Before Jairus even has a chance to process this news and answer his friends, or for grief, panic, loss, and a whole host of other emotions to flood over him, Jesus reassures him with a simple but profound encouragement – just to believe. Jairus began with faith in his heart in Jesus’ power to heal, and came to Jesus for that reason.

But perhaps there was a point at which Jairus mentally drew the line. I would guess that Jairus’ faith had not brushed up against death before. And that he had not considered whether Jesus had power to even bring life from death.

Jesus does heal Jairus daughter. He reverses the situation at Jairus house. He brings life where there is death, telling the people, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” What Jesus said was such an inconceivable thought that they all laughed at him. They had seen fairytales, and this sounded like one. They had been around, they knew better, death is death and no one recovers from that. But true to his word, Jesus walks right past their mocking into the house, takes the little girl by the hand, and brings her to life.

Where is Jesus stretching your faith to “not fear, but only believe?” Where is He asking you to believe? Is it something impossible with man? We are lulled and deceived into thinking His words sound similar to a Disney flick or a fairy tale, a fanciful story that makes us feel good, but is for children. Of course, we know better…

Part of us wants to believe. Jesus responds to that deep part of us by walking right past our mature, wise, thinking and reversing the hopeless situation with a call to believe. Not just to believe in the generic, Disney, sense. Not to believe in magic.

To believe in the name of the Son of God, in His resurrection power, and in His love is what Jesus asks us to do. When our hearts ache because the situation does not even seem worth praying for any longer. Jesus speaks a clear word to me and you. Do not fear, only believe.

It is precious, the gift of faith that Jesus offers. We need to guard its simplicity but know its counterfeits. It is possible to believe in Jesus in the face of the impossible. And He can turn the situation around for He is powerful, the risen Son of God, and His words are life.