Walking Slowly

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. (NIV: Luke 8:41-42)
Although I wish I did not, I know how the Father in Luke 8 must have felt. Several years ago my son Caleb got very sick. It began with his legs hurting him at night. Then he started walking funny and having trouble with the stairs. Next, we noticed him struggling to stand up from a seated position and we knew something was seriously wrong.

I imagine this father probably felt like I did: desperate, terrified, angry, and exhausted. After several hours in the emergency room at Children’s Hospital in Columbus the Doctors gave us the grave news that our little boy had Guillain–Barré syndrome. This disorder, while generally not fatal in the U.S., affects the nervous system causing temporary paralysis. They explained that the weakness he was experiencing in his legs and arms would get much worse before it started getting better.

While the doctors assured us that they would be able to care for Caleb they gave us the heart wrenching news that the syndrome’s paralysis might render him unable to breath on his own.

In those agonizing hours and days all I wanted was for my little boy to be better but all I could do was wait and watch as he continued to get worse. I prayed like I have never prayed before but the Lord just seemed to be walking too slowly toward Caleb’s point of need.

I don’t know what was wrong with the little girl in Luke 8 but I know the pain her father felt as he came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, come to my house and heal my daughter.” I know the anxiety Jairus must have felt when Jesus’ pace for intervention did not match the urgency Jairus felt in his heart.

Have you ever been there? Do you know someone who has? You know what Jesus can do you just can’t figure out why he was walking so slowly to do it. What happens if he takes so much time that he arrives too late?