Autism Is Not a Good Gift From God: Part 3
The Parent Who Came to Jesus for Help
In Part 2, we examined the ministry of Jesus and what His works revealed about the Father.
Jesus said:
“Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.’”
John 5:19 NKJV
When we look at the life of Jesus, His life mirrors the will of the Father.
In other words, when we see Jesus, we see the Father because He is in the Father and the Father is in Him.
Jesus also said:
“Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.”
John 14:10 NKJV
The Parent Who Came to Jesus
Jairus, in Mark 5:22–24, was a father who came to Jesus because his daughter was at the point of death.
Scripture tells us:
“And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, ‘My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.’ So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.”
Mark 5:22–24 NKJV
Jairus, though he was an official, recognized that what his daughter was dealing with, he had no power to heal.
But he had to go find the One who could.
He found Jesus.
And while he was there waiting for Jesus to come and assist him, Jesus was interrupted on the way and had to assist someone else.
Now, this is where many parents come in.
You are standing right in front of Jesus, and you know that Jesus has the ability to assist you. But while you need His help, He is healing somebody else.
He is setting somebody else free.
He is restoring somebody else to their original intent.
And you begin to wonder to yourself:
I’m right here in the presence of the Lord, and I’m having to wait for the Lord to come and lay hands on my child, but He is busy healing someone else.
Jesus was busy healing a woman with an issue of blood who had been bound in her body for 12 years.
And while she needed healing in her body too, as parents we can look at this situation and say:
My child needs healing too.
Is this person more important than I am?
Does Jesus love them more than me?
Suddenly the Report Changed
Something happened while Jairus was standing there waiting for Jesus.
Someone came from his house and said:
“While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?’ As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, ‘Do not be afraid; only believe.’”
Mark 5:35–36 NKJV
Imagine the unrest that Jairus could have been dealing with in this moment.
If Jesus would have shown up a little sooner, my child would have lived.
If this woman with the issue of blood had not come with her issue and needed a touch at this very moment by the Lord, my child would not be dead right now.
However, what looked like it was dead in this moment, Jesus was getting ready to turn around.
You as a parent may be looking at your child right now and saying to yourself:
I don’t see them improving.
It seems like the symptoms are just getting worse.
The school keeps calling and giving me negative reports.
They are not meeting any goals on their IEP.
And the list of things can just go on and on and on.
But just as Jesus told Jairus, even when people came and spoke that his child had passed away:
Simply believe.
Jesus Came to Wreck the Funeral
By the time Jesus arrived at Jairus’s house, the announcement of the child’s death had already been made. And like many situations surrounding death, Jairus’s house was full of people.
Mark tells us:
“Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. When He came in, He said to them, ‘Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.’ And they ridiculed Him.”
Mark 5:38–40 NKJV
Matthew gives us another detail about the scene:
“When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, ‘Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.’ And they ridiculed Him.”
Matthew 9:23–24 NKJV
They already had professional mourners there.
Yes, you read that right.
Professional mourners were already there in preparation for this child’s funeral.
The flute players were there.
People were weeping and wailing.
Everything happening around Jairus said that his daughter was dead.
But I want you to pause and see this one important detail in Matthew 9:24:
“He said to them, ‘Make room.’”
Why this is key is that many of us have not made room for Jesus. Our minds are so clouded by what we see with our own eyes, and we have not made room for Jesus to perform the miracle.
And next, we see what happens when we choose to make room despite the professional mourners and the weeping and wailing taking place.
And Jesus came to wreck the funeral.
He let them know that the child was not dead, but she was simply sleeping.
Now, while Jesus was speaking according to what He already knew, Jairus had to believe according to his faith that his daughter was simply sleeping, despite the overwhelming circumstances happening around him.
The professional mourners were there.
The people were playing the flutes.
The weeping and wailing were happening all around him.
Yet Jairus had to believe that what Jesus spoke in this moment was going to come to pass by setting his focus on the Word, who is the Promise Keeper.
Jesus Had the Final Word
Jesus removed the distractions from the house.
Scripture tells us:
“But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, ‘Talitha, cumi,’ which is translated, ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise.’ Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.”
Mark 5:40–43 NKJV
Everything that looked like it was completely dead in this moment was restored because Jesus spoke the Word, and the Word came to pass.
So when circumstances concerning your child appear to be speaking louder than what you have been believing, remember Jairus.
Jairus was a father who was between a rock and a hard place.
He had a choice whether to believe the Word of the Lord or whether to believe the circumstances that were happening around him, even though everyone else was planning for a funeral.
But just as Jesus spoke then, Jesus has spoken now.
And when everything around Jairus appeared to contradict what Jesus said, the instruction Jesus gave this parent is the same instruction that He is giving to you:
Simply believe.