Young One Arise - A Bible Short Story by Kris Minefee

"Young One Arise"

The young girl lay upon a low bed in the corner of the darkened room. Her mother knelt on the ground beside her with a basin of water and a rag that she would dip in the water and place upon the girl's forehead to try and cool her fever. So hot was the child that the water in the basin was almost as warm as the fever in her body. Jairus watched his wife wage war with the sickness inside his daughter. he watched as tears ran down her face an knew she was losing. As she placed the rag upon her daughter’s forehead again, she looked to her husband with eyes that tore holes in his heart.

“Jairus, look how she breathes, her chest rises so little I must put my hand on her to tell she still lives.”

"I know, Ester. I reached out to touch her a hundred times in the darkness last night. Sometimes I was afraid lest I find her life gone."

Ester looked back at her daughter then doubled over to her knees and began to weep. She covered her face with her hands as the tears ran like rain falling in a pool through her fingers and into the basin in her lap. Jairus moved over to his wife and put his arms around her, but there was no comfort, no strength, only the sharing of sorrow. In spite of his position as head of the synagogue and the respect he received from the people of Capernium, Jairus was powerless against this angel of death or perhaps a demon which burned his daughter’s body with fever and stole the very breath from her lips.

There was a knock at the door, very light but steady enough not to be missed. Jairus rose from Ester's side and went to the door, almost grateful to escape the sorrow and suffering within the dark room. He stepped through the door closing it behind him, and turned to see his oldest servant, Gaius. Before he could finish shutting it Gaius was loudly whispering.

"Master, the Nazarene is back! He and his disciples landed their boats only a few moments ago. From the roof I saw the crowd moving down to the beach, it must be him."

Jairus looked into the eyes of his servant and saw the hope, something he had lost until just now. Jesus had returned to Capernium! Jesus had spoken often at the synagogue by his invitation. Many in the congregation had told him of miracles Jesus had done. When his daughter first fell sick he had thought about seeking out Jesus. But it did not seem serious then. Not until just the last few days did the fever burn so hot and by then Jesus was nowhere to be found. Now there was no time to delay, he must find Jesus, it was his daughters only chance and his only hope.

"Gaius, I will go to bring Jesus back, tell my wife. Do not leave them until I return with the teacher."

“May God go with you.” The servant spoke aloud his prayer.

As he walked toward his front gate he had to cross the courtyard, which was filled with relatives, and so called friends. He wondered if they were here to share his grief or to impress him with their loud cries. Some rose as if to speak but he hurriedly waved them away and ran out the gate. Let them think he was going for a doctor or some medicine in a last effort to save his child.

Capernium was a small fishing village and it took only a few moments for Jairus to be standing at the back of a crowd which had gathered around Jesus down by the shore. They had not even made it into the house of Simon, where he stayed, before he was surrounded by the crowd. Jairus could hear them talk about Jesus.

“There he is next to Simon.”

"What is he saying? Where is he going?"

Jairus spoke to the people in front of him.

“Please, let me through, I must talk to the teacher.” At first the people would look around as if to tell him to be quiet, or that they were first, but when they saw his fine clothes and realized who he was they let him pass.

"Make way for Jairus, he has business with the teacher. Make way." Business, thought Jairus, if only it were just business. Just another invitation to speak in the congregation or to discuss the finer points of Jewish law. This was not the routine of running the synagogue, he was running for his daughters life.

Finally he stood before Jesus and fell at his feet. In times past he had felt equal to this man, a peer in leadership and learning, but now no scholarship could save his daughter, only this carpenter from Nazareth, which some said was the Messiah and even the Son of God.

"My little daughter lies at the point of death: I beg you come and lay your hands on her, that she may be healed. I know that if you will come she shall live."

Jesus looked to his disciples and began to make his way toward the house. Jairus his legs weak with fear, rose to lead the way. The disciples began to make a way in the vast crowd of people that surrounded them. Slowly the entire crowd with Jesus and Jairus in its midst began to move slowly toward the home.

Jairus felt tears of relief in the corners of his eyes. Now it would be all right, Jesus was coming, his daughter would live. They had to hurry though for even now the death angel could be hovering over her bed. The crowd was very large and hard to pass through, he wanted to take Jesus' hand and run but he could not. So he continued as fast as he could until they turned down the street where he lived. "Only a little further, hold on my daughter, hold on!," he silently prayed.

Suddenly he realized that Jesus had stopped and turned to face the crowd behind him. What was happening? Did he not realize they could not wait? He heard the Teacher call out to the crowd.

“Who touched my clothes?”

Peter who had been leading the way before Jairus and his Lord was the first to return to Jesus side.

“You see the multitude crowding you, why do you ask, ‘Who touched me’?”

"Someone reached out and touched my robe. At that moment I felt power flowing to them. Someone has been healed." Jesus eyes stopped on a woman trying to hide herself behind the others in the crowd.

She came and fell on the ground before him, "Master for many years I have been sick. Many physicians have been unable to heal me and I have spent every thing, only to grow worse. I knew that if I could only touch your garment as you walked past, I would be whole again." Her voice trembled as she made her confession almost afraid that her blessing would be taken from her.

"Daughter," she heard Jesus say. “Your faith has made you whole; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

Jairus was almost frantic when they had stopped, but now was filled with hope for if only the hem of Jesus garment could heal then his daughter could truly be saved. He turned with strengthened will toward his house. As he looked in the direction of home, his servant Gaius coming walking slowly toward him. His walk and face brought the message even before he spoke.

"Jairus, your daughter is dead. You need not trouble the Master further."

Jairus felt as if his own life had departed. How could he come so close and still lose his child? If only they hadn't stopped they might have made it in time. He did not know where to go or what to do, it seemed as if his world had suddenly stopped there in the dusty street.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Jesus. He heard him say something, it sounded far away and quiet.

“Do not be afraid, only believe.” The words broke the stillness of Jairus' world and once again he felt hope spring up in him like a refreshing wind from the sea. He began to move toward the house, it seemed like days since he had left though it was only a few moments ago. He must go to Ester, she would need him.

Jesus stopped anyone from going on any further. He left nine of his apostles there with the the crowd and then with Peter, James and John along with Jairus went towards the house. Inside the courtyard of the home the family and friends were crying and wailing. Loud and long they showed their grief especially when Jairus walked in. Jesus raised his hand to quiet them.

"Why are you making all this noise? This young girl is not dead. She is only sleeping." The crowd was at first hushed by his words but then began to laugh and to make fun of what Jesus said.

"Sleep? Then she is asleep for the rest of her life."

"Why do you torment this family? Let them get on with their grief."

“You must not know death, but we have seen it before and we see it today in this house.”

Jesus ignored them and walked to the bedroom. There was Ester still at her daughters bed, but the cloth lay on the floor where she had dropped it when she realized her daughter was gone from her forever. There were more mourners beside the bed and around Ester, they began to wail and moan at the sight of the child’s father. Jesus with the help of Peter, James and John ushered the mourners out into the courtyard. Without the support of Jairus and Ester, they did not protest too much. When the door was closed Jesus went to the little girl's bed. He reached down and took her hand, still hot from the fever. With his other hand he touched her brow and swept the hair from her forehead as if to look for life in those now opaque eyes. Then he spoke to her.

“Young one, arise.” A single command spoken so softly it couldn’t be heard across the room, yet somehow it was heard across the chasm that separates life from death.

Ester saw it first, that same breast that had struggled to rise before now swelled with air. The glazed, dull eyes blinked and when they opened there was the light of life behind them again. Jairus who had been bowing his head in a prayer felt his wife move toward the bed and raised his eyes to see his daughter sitting up, looking into the face of Jesus. As he watched she stood and looked around the room for a familiar face. When she saw her parents she smiled like a traveler coming home from a long journey. They swept her into their arms, holding her as if they would never let her go.

Jesus spoke, "Give her something to eat she will be hungry. Tell no one what has happened here today. They will know soon enough."

As Jesus turned to leave, Jairus called after him, “Thank you,” he hesitated a moment and then added, "Lord. Thank you for saving my daughter’s life and for giving life back to me."

"Live that life with joy, Jairus. Live it with great joy." Jesus replied and then with his disciples went back into the street.