We’ve all seen the poster, “When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on!”
You don’t have to be desperate before God can help you, but it often helps. Hannah Whitall Smith gives a very descriptive illustration in her famous classic, “The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life.” It goes something like this. She tells of a person who for some reason needed to get to the bottom of a well. After anchoring one end of the rope to a nearby tree, the person threw the remainder down into the deep, dark pit and proceeded to climb down. However, much to their dismay, they reached the end of their rope before their feet touched the bottom of the well. In the darkness there was no way of seeing how much further it was before they would touch the bottom. Hanging off the end of the rope, they reached down with their feet, searching for something solid - all to no avail. Too tired to climb back up, and afraid that they might fall to their death, they held on tight and yelled for help. But help never came. After, what seemed hours, they could no longer hold on and with a cry of despair, slipped off the end. Now that’s a picture of utter desperation! Have you ever been there?
Running out of options, resources, and strength, you hold on and patiently wait for goodness and mercy to catch up with you. But while you’re waiting things are getting worse: debt is growing, sickness is advancing, relationships are becoming more complicated and distant, opportunities are passing you by. You fear that the little hope you have is slowly slipping away. In a word, you are becoming desperate. As strange as it may seem, sometimes God waits for us to get there. He waits for the wine to run out, for us to be cast into the lion’s den or for Lazarus to be dead four days before He acts. I wish it wasn’t that way, but it sure seems like it at times. The good news, however, is that no matter how long your rope is, you’ll always find Jesus waiting for you at the end of it.
“Why the wait?” you may ask. That’s a question only God can answer - perhaps at times to build our faith, to bring us to the end of ourselves, or to get us into line with what He wants for us instead of what we want from Him. The wait varies, depending on how willing we are to get there. It could be twelve years, twelve hours, or twelve minutes. We saw that so clearly in our reading this morning. (Luke 8:41-56)
An interesting parallel is presented to us in this chapter. Twelve years ago, a beautiful baby girl was born to Jairus (ruler of the synagogue) and his wife. Around the same time, an unnamed woman was taken ill with a sickness that would affect both her health and social standing in the community. One brought unspeakable joy, the other untold misery, poverty, and heartache. Such is life. We are not told when Jairus’ daughter took ill, but we know that she was near death’s door when he desperately sought the Savior’s help. How hopeful he must have been as Jesus agreed to go with him to where his sick child lay. No time to waste. The need was urgent. But another urgent need was to present itself that day causing a brief interruption, that to Jairus must have felt like an eternity.
A woman, suffering with an issue of blood, was determined to get to Jesus as well. After having spent all her money on various physicians and finding no cure, sadly, she only grew worse. Jesus was the last resort for both of them. But her condition brought with it an added complication. According to Jewish Law, she was considered unclean and forbidden to have any physical contact with anyone, Jesus included. Thinking outside the box, she reasoned, “If I can’t touch Him, perhaps I can touch His garment.” It may have been pushing the envelope, but that’s what desperate people do. Approaching the crowd from behind, she reached out and touched the hem of His garment. Jesus stopped. “Who touched me?” He said, for He perceived that virtue had gone out from Him. Immediately she was healed. No longer able to hide herself, she fell at His feet trembling, perhaps awaiting His rebuke. Instead, to the only woman recorded in the Gospels whom Jesus referred to as daughter, He spoke words of comfort... “Thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” (Luke 8:48)
At the very moment that her faith was being commended, Jairus’ faith was being tested, for as Jesus was speaking these words, he received news that his daughter had just died. But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. (Luke 8:50) Arriving at their home, Jesus called her back to life. He proved that day that no problem can go on so long, or sickness progress so far, but that He can turn it around for his glory. Faith is never lost in the crowd. Jesus takes notice of those who come to him, and those who keep their eyes on him as they patiently wait for Him to be gracious to them.
I love the song, “He Giveth More Grace,” … especially the second verse…
“When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.”
By the way, you might be wondering what ever became of the person in the well. It just so happened that they fell six inches and landed on the bottom. 😊
Prayer: Lord, bring me to a place of desperation in my trusting You, where I am willing to let
everything go so that You can catch me.
