Dear Ones:
A good many years ago I heard the story of a brother in Christ, whose name was Craig. (Not me.) He loved his wife and children greatly, but none knew the Lord. At a certain point, his wife and children came to know Christ, but Craig would have none of it. The pastor came to visit, and of course, his family spoke to him about faith in Christ, but all to no avail…that is, until the day that the thought came to him that if he died in his present state of mind and heart, he would be separated from his family which he loved, for eternity. This he could not endure…he came to Christ. There is power in the love for a wife, but also for children.
When Naaman, the captain of the Syrian army, was at, what seemed to be, the pinnacle of his career, he was stricken with Leprosy. No king, nor wealth, or position, or prowess could save him from this dreaded disease. But there was a child that would change everything!! She had been taken captive by the Syrians from Israel, made the servant of the wife of Naaman. She would one day tell her mistress, “Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! For he would recover (heal) him of his leprosy.” (2 Kings 5:3) What was it in this child that would cause the captain of an army, with his chariots and soldiers, to go seek out the prophet in Samaria? Most certainly, the hand of God was on the child, with His sweetness and sincerity, and trustworthiness. She had faith. And because of her, the helpless captain, would be healed.
We do not know the name of Jairus’ daughter. We only know that she was twelve, and the only daughter of her parents. What we do know is that she was so loved, that her father, at the end of his resources, would seek out the Lord Jesus, that He might come and heal her. The result was overwhelmingly marvelous. In spite of the crowd coming to tell Jairus that she had died, the Lord Jesus would speak the life-giving, faith inspiring word, “Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.” (Luke 8:52) Because of this child, the parents, and generations since by reading the account, have seen the glory of God…and this because of something sweet, and lovely in the child, something that so evoked a response of love, that all is abandoned in order to meet the Lord, and trust Him fully.
In Matthew 21:16, we read: “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise.” Jesus prayed, “…Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” (Matt. 11:25) As we see that God is able to speak to a child, work in a child, …let us never despise any of these little ones, but realize that God often uses the beauty, simplicity, and sincerity of a child to speak, and this, even to the hardest of individuals. Dear Lord, may you perfect praise in us, revealing unto us Thy beauty, and goodness, that others will see Thy loveliness, and be truly drawn to Thee. Amen.
Love, Dad