January 14, 2019

Jesus Always Has Time

Luke 8:40-56

When Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him.

—  Luke 8:40

Patience is not my strong suit. I try really hard, but there are days when I am not very successful. I have an expectation in my mind, and I like to have things work out the way I have planned.

Perhaps the crowd in the street that day felt the same way. Everyone had come to see Jesus and was expecting something to happen.

More than likely, what happened that day was a lot more than they were expecting.

First, a religious leader was desperate for his daughter to be made well. She was dying, and the only hope that Jairus had left was for Jesus to come and heal her. After hearing about her, Jesus started down the road to where the little girl was. He planned to go there and change the situation.

Then, what no one else saw was the desperation of a woman who had been ill for over twelve years and who believed she would be well if only she could touch Jesus. And what no one expected was that Jesus would stop in the crowd to find the woman. Jairus was running out of time, and he needed Jesus to keep walking. The woman wasn’t even expecting Jesus to stop and ­address her.

What I love about this story is that Jesus had time for both. Jesus always has time for us, whether we are patient or not.

Dear Lord, thank you that you are not limited by time or by our expectations of what should happen. Help us to trust your timing and your results for our lives. Amen.

About the author — Beth Fellinger

Pastor Beth Fellinger is a wife, mother, and grandmother who has more than 40 years of experience in pastoral ministry. She and her husband, Barry, have created a missional community in their neighborhood called the Ugly Couch Cafe. From serving coffee at a blue picnic table on their front lawn, to praying with neighbors, to hosting faith gatherings on a weekly basis, the Ugly Couch Cafe has grown—and nothing gives Beth greater joy than introducing people to Jesus.

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