What do you do when God hides His face?
Some interesting things to consider:
Jesus had STARTED to do something in Jairus' life, and then stopped.
Has God ever started a good work in you, and then suddenly, nothing is happening? You've announced the good news to all of your friends, "Jesus is on His way to my house, I'm going to get my miracle today, it's already started!"
Then, not only does Jesus stop, He turns his back on Jairus! He literally "hid his face".
The Bible says that Jesus "turned about in the press", and stopped a miracle for Jairus to give someone else a miracle instead. Have you ever been in a situation where God is not answering your prayer, and you have to come to church and listen to a sister or brother across the church give a praise report? And, somewhere deep inside, is there a little resentment? A little jealousy?
It's easy to weep with someone, but hard to rejoice with them.
While Jairus is waiting on Jesus, his daughter dies
Now, at this point, many of us would have completely given up, stomped off in a huff, angry, disillusioned. "How could God do this to me! I trusted Him, I believed Him, I left my daughter's side to come find him because I believed that He was her only hope." But Jairus did not speak a word, but he did show us the correct repsonse when God turns away.
* He waited.
That's it, no great revelation, he simply waited. I mean, what else could he do? He'd done all he could, and if Jesus wasn't coming to his house, there was no hurry to return home. All his hopes were wrapped up in the possibility of Jesus healing his daughter. How long has it been since we had no other options? How long since our future has been totally in the hands of the Master? It is time like this that test our faith and reveal the level of our trust in Him
David said, "I will rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him".
* Jairus stayed close to Jesus.
He was so close, that when the servant whispered the sad news in his ear, Jesus heard it.
We are so tempted to draw away from God when His back is turned to us. Everyone is close to God when He's speaking to them, and you can see his face. But when His back is turned, that's when the tempation is the strongest to walk away.
We all know what to do when God is moving, it's when He's standing still that we get thrown for a loop.
But, as Job said, in one translation, "I have matched Him step for step!"
If He zigs, I zig - if He zags, I zag! He may not be speaking to me, He may have his back to me, but I'm holding on to Him for dear life, and not letting go!
* Jairus didn't give up hope, even after his dream died.
That's when most people throw in the towel. As long as the dream is alive, even if it's struggling for breath, there's hope. But, when it dies, that's when most people give up.
But, the Bible says, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone.....but, IF IT DIE, it bringeth forth much fruit!"
If Jesus would have healed Jairus daughter, all the critics may have said, "Well, she was getting better anyway, it was nature." Jairus himself may have attributed her healing to the good care he was giving her.
But, when Jesus raised her from the dead, everyone had to admit that it was God, and God alone who did the miracle!
So, if God turns his back on you, just wait.......stay close........and don't give up hope, even when the dream dies! God has not forgotten you, if He sees every sparrow that falls to the ground, you can be sure that He sees you. Just stand still, keep your cool, maintain your faith and ...wait. Your answer may have been delayed but it has not been destroyed!
