"Fearless" Daily Devotional

This Daily Devotional is from Max Lucado's book, Fearless. This devotional is also posted under the Fearless book discussion.


Read Luke 8:40-56:

NIV: Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.

As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.

"Who touched me?" Jesus asked.

When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you."

But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me."

Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."

While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," he said. "Don't bother the teacher any more."

Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed."

When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. "Stop wailing," Jesus said. "She is not dead but asleep."

They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!" Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Amplified Bible: Now when Jesus came back [to Galilee], the crowd received and welcomed Him gladly, for they were all waiting and looking for Him. And there came a man named Jairus, who had [for a long time] been a director of the synagogue; and falling at the feet of Jesus, he begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

As [Jesus] went, the people pressed together around Him [almost suffocating Him]. And a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years and had spent all her living upon physicians, and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment, and immediately her flow of blood ceased.

And Jesus said, Who is it who touched Me?

When all were denying it, Peter and those who were with him said, Master, the multitudes surround You and press You on every side!

But Jesus said, Someone did touch Me; for I perceived that [healing] power has gone forth from Me.

And when the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came up trembling, and, falling down before Him, she declared in the presence of all the people for what reason she had touched Him and how she had been instantly cured. And He said to her, Daughter, your faith (your confidence and trust in Me) has made you well! Go (enter) into peace (untroubled, undisturbed well-being).

While He was still speaking, a man from the house of the director of the synagogue came and said [to Jairus], Your daughter is dead; do not weary and trouble the Teacher any further.

But Jesus, on hearing this, answered him, Do not be seized with alarm or struck with fear; simply believe [in Me as able to do this], and she shall be made well.

And when He came to the house, He permitted no one to enter with Him except Peter and John and James, and the girl's father and mother. And all were weeping for and bewailing her; but He said, Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.

And they laughed Him to scorn, knowing full well that she was dead. And grasping her hand, He called, saying, Child, arise [from the sleep of death]! And her spirit returned [from death], and she arose immediately; and He directed that she should be given something to eat. And her parents were amazed, but He charged them to tell no one what had occurred.


What challenges stood in the way of Jairus’s receiving help from Jesus?

How does this passage show that a delay in receiving an answer to a desperate prayer does not necessarily mean a no?