Love Interrupted

Mark 5:22-34

Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet and 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. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years… When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?…” Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Pastor Leslyn Musch
Lighthouse Regional Church (Concord)

Interruptions and delays are the stuff of life, often causing frustration, irritation and sometimes colorful metaphors. The more intense life, work pressures, responsibilities, relationships and activities become, the more annoying interruptions become. The way that Jesus handled interruptions captured my attention and made me ask: “How did He do that?”

Jesus was traveling with His disciples, surrounded by a large crowd, when a religious leader pushed through the throng pleading fervently with Him to come quickly and heal his dying daughter. Jesus’ immediate response to this interruption was to help. He could have said, “You know, I’m sorry, but I’ve already calmed a huge storm, had a major deliverance session; I’m tired and now this crowd needs my attention.” Why didn’t He do that?

With the crowd pressing in, Jesus was trying to get to a dying child, and Jesus was interrupted again. He felt healing power go out from Him. Jesus stopped everything to find the woman who had reached out to Him in her suffering, who had pushed through many barriers to receive a miracle. What made Him do that?

Jesus lived from love. He lived from love for His Father and love for others. He saw interruptions as opportunities for love rather than obstacles in His plans. He looked to find what His Father in heaven wanted Him to do in response to them. Next time you are interrupted by someone’s need, ask your heavenly Father how He wants you to respond. Try looking at interruptions as opportunities to extend love, kindness, food, prayer or just a helping hand. Perhaps you will be the answer to someone’s prayer!

Heavenly Father, help me to live from love like Jesus did. I want to be used by You in the day by day. Help me to see interruptions as opportunities to be used by You in the lives of those around me. Amen.