Twelve Years An Outcast

Mark 5:24-34

‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease.’

Such a commotion! Jairus was a big name in Capernaum. The Master had hardly got ashore before Jairus was literally on his knees begging him to go to his home; ofcourse Jesus would oblige, and they all charged off: obviously urgent.

What mattered was to make no fuss. For half my life, ever since growing out of childhood, I’d been spurned, excluded, an outcast. My ‘embarrassing condition’ meant I could not join the festivals, go up to the temple or even be considered ‘marriageable’. I was familiar with self-isolating, being an outcast, always on the edge, dreading being the centre of attention.

But this was the Nazarene, the miracle worker from Capernaum, some said Messiah. If only I could get some privacy, I was sure he’d help me. Maybe if I just squeezed through the crowd, whisper something… no hope of that. I couldn’t just grab him.

So instead, I just stooped, fumbled through the legs and coats and grabbed his shawl tassel. Who’d know? Then time froze. Jesus spun round. “Who was that?” They all peered round, shrugging their shoulders, “Seriously? Someone touched you?” I just caught Jairus’s pleading look at the Master, then his shoulders droop as someone spoke in his ear.

I wanted to bolt but couldn’t. He was looking straight at me; he knew it was me. I stumbled forward, now on my knees in front of him, shuddering in fear, every eye on me, disgusted, blaming. But I knew I was healed. He knew too. He spoke for everyone to hear, a word that rebuked them all but penetrated me so deeply, bringing even more healing, “Daughter” he called me. He brought me from the edge into the centre. For twelve years I was an outcast, now I belonged: I was family.

Adoration: Lord Jesus, Great Physician, you who call the lost, the rejected, the useless, to be your own family, I kneel at your feet, so grateful for your undivided attention. You have called me out of darkness into your marvellous light and endowed me with value, kinship, purpose and a heart and voice full of praise.