S UCH were the -words addressed by the Lord Jesus Christ to the intensely earnest and loving-hearted Jairus, who fell at Jesus's feet, and " besought Him greatly "to come and heal his" little daughter " (Mark 5:22, 23, 35-4322And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, 23And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. (Mark 5:22‑23)
35While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 36As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. 37And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. 39And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. 40And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. 41And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. 42And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. 43And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat. (Mark 5:35‑43)). MAR 5:22-4322And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, 23And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. 24And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him. 25And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 32And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 33But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. 35While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 36As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. 37And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. 39And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. 40And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. 41And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. 42And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. 43And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat. (Mark 5:22‑43)
When Jairus left his house his little daughter was "at the point of death," and scarcely had he reached Jesus, and implored Him to come and heal her, ere messengers arrived with the heart-crushing intelligence, " Thy daughter is dead "; but before the broken-hearted father had time to be stunned by this fresh, overwhelming news, the blessed, tenderhearted Saviour and Lord anticipated all the mournful thoughts that would at once rush into his heart, by saying, as it were, " It is all the same to Me whether she be sick or dead, as I am both Healer and Life-giver ";and thus He touchingly stayed up the sinking heart of the bereaved father with those five divinely comforting words, " Be not afraid, only believe.”
And is there no comfort in them for thee, poor, weary, anxious, trembling, doubting one? Are you saying, “My sins are too many? Oh, "only believe" in Him who had all our sins upon Him on the tree, suffered for them there once for all, and that His precious blood cleanseth from all sin!
Do you still say, “Ah! but I am lost, helpless, and guilty "? Thank God for showing it to you, and causing you to own it; and now, for your immediate and lasting comfort, remember that " the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost "; that God has laid help upon Him who is 'mighty to save "; and is saying to you," Thou hast destroyed thyself, but in Me is thine help; and God is now commending His love to you in the gift of His beloved Son for you, by saying, as it were (yes, though you are lost, hopeless, and guilty), "Christ died" for those who are "without strength," "ungodly," and “sinners." Therefore, poor anxious soul, “be not afraid, only believe.”
“A guilty, weak, and helpless worm,
On Thy kind arms I fall;
Be Thou my strength and righteousness,
My Saviour, and my all.”
The above verse was blessed to a young woman who had long been anxious about her immortal soul's present and everlasting salvation. She said, "When you were reading that hymn last night, I saw the whole way of salvation for sinners perfectly plainly, and wondered that I had never seen it before. I saw that I HAD NOTHING TO DO BUT TO TRUST IN CHRIST.”
A poor woman was dying. A servant of the Lord who had known her for years visited her, and said to her, "You seem to be very sick.”
"Yes," said she, "I am dying.”
He continued, "And are you ready to die?”
She lifted her eyes upon him, and replied, "Sir, God knows I have taken Hint at his word, and I am not afraid to die.”
And that is all you have to do, dear, anxious, inquiring sinner; however dark and desperate your case may be, still the Lord says to thee, "BE NOT AFRAID, ONLY BELIEVE.”
H. M. H.
Like the rock that was smitten in the wilderness, to give water to the thirsty people to save them from death, so Christ who was crucified is a river of life, and every needy soul that comes to Him finds it to be so of a truth.