Is Twelve (12) Years a Long Time or a Short Time?

Is twelve (12) years a long time or a short time?

• If you are a father whose twelve-year-old daughter is dying, twelve years seems like a really short time.
• If you are a woman who has been suffering with an incurable illness for twelve years, twelve years seems like a really long time.

The Bible tells a story of how one day Jesus returned from a trip across the Sea of Galilee (where He had just performed an amazing miracle of casting demons out of a man — the subject of my previous post). When He arrived on shore, a respected leader from the synagogue rushed to Jesus, pleading with Him to come to his house because his young daughter was sick. A large crowd of people pressed against Jesus and His disciples as they walked toward the synagogue leader’s home.

Suddenly, Jesus stops. He realizes that someone has just been healed. He asks, “Who touched me?” The disciples answer was simply, “It’s a big crowd. Everyone touched You!” But Jesus knows that the faith of the woman who has been suffering for twelve years has compelled her to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment. Jesus heals her and makes her whole. He said her faith was huge! She had risked a lot just to be in the crowd on that day. But to her it was worth it. The woman who had suffered for twelve years was cured of her infirmity!

However, at that moment the sad news reaches the synagogue leader that his little girl was dead. He tells Jesus that there is no need for Him to come to their house now. But Jesus had a plan so amazing that no one could believe it. Jesus went straight to the house, took the mother and father and a few disciples into the room with Him, and raised the little girl back to life!

The juxtaposition of these stories intertwined together in the gospels shows that Jesus cares for everyone, and He has the power to heal anyone. There are so many lessons we learn from this story. Read the story yourself. Ask God to show you what He wants to teach you about Himself, His love, His power, His compassion, our faith in Him, and much more. Ask God to show you how to respond in faith and obedience with the truths you learn.

Mark 5:21-43 (HCSB)
²¹ When Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him while He was by the sea. ²² One of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at His feet ²³ and kept begging Him, “My little daughter is at death’s door. Come and lay Your hands on her so she can get well and live.” ²⁴ So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd was following and pressing against Him.

²⁵ A woman suffering from bleeding for 12 years ²⁶ had endured much under many doctors. She had spent everything she had and was not helped at all. On the contrary, she became worse. ²⁷ Having heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His robe. ²⁸ For she said, “If I can just touch His robes, I’ll be made well!” ²⁹ Instantly her flow of blood ceased, and she sensed in her body that she was cured of her affliction. ³⁰ At once Jesus realized in Himself that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My robes?” ³¹ His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing against You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” ³² So He was looking around to see who had done this. ³³ Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came with fear and trembling, fell down before Him, and told Him the whole truth. ³⁴ “Daughter,” He said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be free from your affliction.”

³⁵ While He was still speaking, people came from the synagogue leader’s house and said, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher anymore?” ³⁶ But when Jesus overheard what was said, He told the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe.” ³⁷ He did not let anyone accompany Him except Peter, James, and John, James’s brother. ³⁸ They came to the leader’s house, and He saw a commotion—people weeping and wailing loudly. ³⁹ He went in and said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” ⁴⁰ They started laughing at Him, but He put them all outside. He took the child’s father, mother, and those who were with Him, and entered the place where the child was. ⁴¹ Then He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). ⁴² Immediately the girl got up and began to walk. (She was 12 years old.) At this they were utterly astounded. ⁴³ Then He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this and said that she should be given something to eat.

• So what did you learn?
• What is God calling you to do?

Oh yeah, and did you determine if twelve (12) years is a long time… or a short time?

Compared to eternity.

Romans 8:18 (HCSB)
¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.