Jesus had become a popular celebrity and a crowd gathered to welcome Him back to His Galilean base, which was probably in Capernaum.  However, the religious leaders were very suspicious of Him, fearing that He might undermine their authority (Luke 6:7).  But there are times when personal needs become more important than political principles as Jairus found. He was the respected Synagogue Ruler in the town; the man who presided over religious services, acted as a judge in community disputes and represented the congregation outside the local community. He was important, but his problem was bigger than his status or power of his religion. His daughter was dying.

He now saw Jesus in a different light.  No longer was He a threat; indeed, Jairus longed that the Teacher would give him preferential treatment and quickly too.  He did not care about his dignity, what others would think about him or how his local elders would criticise him for appealing to Jesus for help.  Jairus rushed through the crowd and prostrated himself at Jesus' feet, pleading for the life of His little girl.  All that showed one thing - he believed in Jesus (Mark 5:22-23).

And Jesus responded by agreeing to go to the man's house.  But would He get there in time (Luke 8:49)?  The crowds were suffocatingly dense, even to the point of almost crushing the Lord.  You can imagine the anxiety in Jairus' mind.

Everybody will encounter personal circumstances that exhaust all available resources.  Whether it is health, or money, family or business, church or community - something will bring us to our knees.  At that point, the Lord knows how much we trust Him.  Some of our readers say they are tempted to find the answer in religious ritual, tribal healers, occultists, or email appeals; some simply succumb to despondency.  This passage shows us that the good way forward can only come through Jesus.  We must be willing to turn from all other alternatives (Acts 19:19), throwing ourselves on His mercy and the kindness of His grace.  How He will answer, what He will do and when He will do it … are all for Him to decide.  Our task is to trust that He alone has the answer and the power to make it happen (Mark 9:23).