Messiah side-lined by a woman with a really bad period.

Jesus was on his way to Galilee today, when a Temple Official asked him to go and heal his daughter. Jesus, seeing this was important, agreed to completely rearrange his schedule and go with Jairus to his home in the opposite direction.

I had nothing better to do, He said. Or maybe He said He was about the Father's business.

So, as Jesus and his entourage walked to Jairus's house, it is not surprising that He was approached by many others along the way. He was popular and the word got out and went ahead of him. Wherever he was, people ran ahead and told others.

The walk continued towards Jairus's house.

We interrupt this Bible story to tell you another one. Don't worry, it won't take long.

Jesus was walking among the crowd of people and stopped for a minute. Hang on guys. Somebody touched me. Who touched me?

A woman stepped forward, knelt at his feet, and told him He had just healed her by his coat tails.

That is all.

Now back to regular programming.

The walk continued towards Jairus's house. Why this needless interruption when an important Synagogue Official needs Jesus's time and attention for his daughter? Get on with it!

But Jesus,... (My favourite phrase in the whole world)

But Jesus was smack bang in the middle of the crowd. People were pushing in on him from every side. Imagine what it's like in the mosh pit and you can't move without bumping into someone.

But Jesus…

Jesus stopped walking. The whole crowd around him had to stop too. He turned around, no doubt brushing against a few people as he turned around, looking intently for something, someone.

Who touched me? He asked.

Peter, in his infinite wisdom, said "Duh, there are heaps of people squashing in."

No, someone did. I felt power leave me.

He scanned the faces of the crowd until He met eyes with her. The woman knew she had been caught. She hadn't managed to pull of her stealth healing mission. Even though it was women's business and very very embarrassing, she knew she had to step forward and tell everyone what happened.

But Jesus,…

Jesus was tender and kind. I'm sure she saw that in His eyes. He already knew what He had done for her. He wanted everyone else to know.

With a trembling voice, she described what happened.

I touched your coat. It was me.

I've been bleeding for 12 years. I was unclean and had to remain isolated. For 12 years I couldn't go to the Synagogue to worship. I spent everything I had on doctors but they couldn't help.

I knew if I could just push through this crowd and touch you, I would be healed.

And so it was, as I grabbed your coat, I felt it.

Your power went through my body and the bleeding stopped.

I touched you and you healed me.

Daughter, He said. Jesus wasn't mad at her for touching him with her ceremonially unclean hands. He wasn't upset about the delay on his journey - although Jairus was getting antsy.

Jesus had time for this woman who had suffered for so long and in so many ways.

Your faith has made you well. This was a sermon for everyone listening.

It was your faith in me. You trusted me enough to seek me out, to break all the rules, to come and find me and see if I really could do what you were asking.

Could I do it? You didn't even have to ask me to because you knew, in faith, that I would.

Go in peace. Go in health. Be Blessed.

Meanwhile, Jairus was still worried about his daughter. While Jesus was busy doing what He did, pausing for a miraculous moment, a messenger arrived from home.

He said “She has died. Don't bother the teacher anymore”.

Just imagine how Jairus reacted to the news. He might have become overwhelmed with emotion, sorrow, disappointment. If only Jesus hadn't stopped to help this lady, my daughter might still be alive.

Jesus addressed him.

Don't be afraid. Just believe. Don't listen to those voices. Trust me.

I've often wondered why did this story bookend the miracle of the woman with the issue of blood. Didn't they deserve their own space in the gospels? Why then, did all the accounts include them together?

Don't listen to the doubters. Keep on believing, Jairus. You just saw a miracle, take note. Learn the lesson. Have faith. Don't doubt, just believe and you will see miracles.

Peter, James and John stood alongside the other disciples, looking, listening, learning, and growing in faith. They knew what Jesus was capable of doing, and they just saw another example. They were starting to truly understand who Jesus was. Jesus took them with Him and Jairus to see his dead daughter.

When Jesus arrived, the house was full of mourners. That was understandable, a young girl had died. Everyone in the neighbourhood knew her, had shared her life for 12 years and felt the sorrow of this moment.

Jesus sent them out of the house. She's not dead, she's sleeping. They laughed, they didn't believe him. Jesus needed to keep Jairus's mustard seed of faith alive for just a few more minutes.

He went with Jairus and his wife, brought his boys of faith along, and they went into the young girl's room.

With the door shut, Jesus prayed for this little girl. He took her hand and demanded "Little girl, get up".

And she did. She stood up and started walking around.

It doesn't say, but I think Jairus and his wife freaked out just a bit. They would have jumped up and down and hugged their daughter.

Always practical, Jesus told them to give her something to eat.

So why the roadside stop to see a miracle? I wondered about this for years until I had my own "Duh" moment. Jairus was struggling. He was overwhelmed with the stress of a father losing his daughter. Jesus needed him and the disciples to grow in faith. He needed to show them what faith looked like, how it acted, what it believed despite what the circumstances looked like. So he paused, to heal a woman who struggled with a long-term sickness, and show the others her faith. He paused to water their own mustard seeds so that when they got to Jairus's house, he could do a miracle which basically raised a girl from the dead.

I only realised this when I kept reading on to the next chapter one day. The next place Jesus visits is Nazareth. It told how Jesus could not do very many miracles due to their lack of faith. Duh.

Don't listen to them. Just believe.

I believe, help my unbelief.

If you want a miracle in your life, you need to find that mustard seed of faith in your heart and water it with God's word. You need to listen to testimonies of people who have been healed, whose lives have been changed and transformed by Jesus.

If you are struggling with doubt, you are listening to the wrong voices. Listen to God's word. Listen to eyewitness testimony. Look for miracles.