Here is my latest, hand-made, collaged book. It is the story of two daughters: the woman with a 12 year bleeding problem and the raising from the dead of a 12 year old daughter.
Jairus comes to Jesus begging Him to come and heal his dying daughter.
Meanwhile, in another part of town, a woman with an issue of blood hears Jesus could heal her. She is beyond hoping for healing. She is poverty-stricken; doctors have taken her money and left her worse off physically. However, someone breaks into her dark space with Good News! Someone takes a risk, and reaches out to her. She moves out in hope beyond her tears, darkness, poverty and identity as an unclean woman.
The woman breaks through several societal and religious boundaries in order to touch the hem of Jesus’ prayer shawl. She goes secretly to touch Jesus, who is walking in a crowd. Maybe she will be unnoticed, and slip away quietly. She reaches out, in faith, and touches Him.
Power goes out of Jesus; the woman’s faith in Jesus brings about her healing. Her bleeding is drying up. Oh, no! Fear. Panic. The woman is discovered; however, the first word Jesus generously gives her is, “daughter.” He embraces her verbally by describing her as family. (This is the King of the Universe’s daughter.) Because she is a daughter to Him, she is just as valuable a daughter as Jairus’ daughter. Meanwhile, a messenger comes and tells Jairus that his daughter has died. Jesus asks Jairus to “believe” or have faith in Him. Jairus has to hope beyond his tears. When they arrive at Jairus’ house, Jesus says the girl is sleeping. He is mocked by the mourners, and Jesus excuses them. Jesus raises the daughter from death in the company of her parents and Peter, James and John, the mourners are invited back – to a celebration, and Jesus continues onto the cross. He will ultimately rise from the dead, thus he conquers death for all who believe.
One woman had been dying for 12 years, one girl had been living for 12 years. Both needed healing and hope beyond their tears. I hope to use this book in Nicaragua and Peru, as well as other countries, therefore, the Spanish title.
This story can be found in Mark 5:21-43 found here.
“When Jesus looks at Jairus and says “Trust me, be patient,” in effect he is looking over Jairus’s head at all of us and saying, “Remember when I calmed the storm, I showed you that my grace and love are compatible with what seems to you to be unconscionable delays.” It’s not ”I will not be hurried even though I love you”; it’s “I will not be hurried because I love you. I know what I am doing. And if you impose your understanding of schedule and timing on me, you will struggle to feel loved by me.”
Jesus will not be hurried, and as a result, we often feel exactly like Jairus, impatient because he’s delaying irrationally, unconscionably, inordinately. “(Kings Cross, p. 63-64)
“Right now is God delaying something in your life? Are you ready to give up? Are you impatient with him? There may be a crucial factor that you just don’t have access to. The answer, as with Jairus, is to trust Jesus.” (p. 67)
As I wait for places to serve using art engaging story, I must learn patience and trust, just like Jairus. Jesus knows best.
This is so beautiful and your illustrations are lovely!
What a beautiful gift you’ve been given! To share your artwork to reveal the Savior of the ‘whole world’…little girl’s and hopeless women. I can see clearly,how He ‘so loves you’,Sister-Friend! xxx
Marcia, I never made the connection of 12 years of suffering and 12 years of life. So much of this is powerful and beautiful. Thank you for sharing your stories with all of us! Love, Charise