Time, for most of us Westerners, is a commodity that we spend. We are frustrated when someone or something "wastes" our time. We recognize that there are only so many hours in any given day. Time doesn't stand still. Time waits for no one. Time is money and so on.
Sometimes, something unexpected or unforeseen interrupts our planned use of time and then it feels as if time stands still.
Sometimes, when we make the choice to retreat or vacation we feel the rest that comes with taking time away from work, even very good work.
Time is a gift, every second of life is a gift, and that is important to remember.
I have come to see time as one of the most important elements of reading the Bible. Throughout the stories in Scripture time plays a key role and when we pay attention to the timing of any given story in the Bible, we will find that our understanding of God and human beings will change.
There are stories in the Bible that take minutes to unfold, and others that take generations.
But, paying attention to the timing of any given story will help us see a great deal that we need to see.
There is a story in the Gospels where Jesus was walking along with his disciples, and a man named Jairus came running up to Jesus frantic and deeply concerned. Jairus was a Jewish religious leader. He taught people about the God of Israel, He prayed with people, and undoubtedly did a variety of other things as well. But, Jairus was also a husband and a father. And it is his role as a father that brought him to Jesus in this special story.
When Jairus finds Jesus he pleads with him to come to his house, because his daughter is sick and apparently so much so that she is near death. But, Jairus has faith. He believes that if Jesus comes to his house, his daughter will be healed. Jairus has heard the reputation of this carpenter from Nazareth. He knows that many have testified to his power to heal, and he is desperate for the life of his daughter. He is a truly loving dad.
Jesus says yes and begins to make his way to Jairus' house. And that is when it happens.
Timing is everything.
While Jesus, his disciples and Jairus are making their way through a very crowded street, a woman who has been bleeding for 12 years, pushes her way through the crowd and eventually reaches out to touch the hem of Jesus' outer robe.
In a moment, time stands still, for Jesus. He knows someone touched him and that power left him.
He asks: "Who touched me?" To which the disciples reply: "Are you serious, Jesus?" (my paraphrase) They can't believe the question, because the crowd is so thick, they are wondering "Who hasn't touched you, Jesus?" (again my paraphrase)
But, Jesus knows someone touched him, and when the woman reveals herself and that she has been healed. Jesus blesses her and sends her away with hope and joy.
Now, some of you reading this might be thinking "Wow! That's great!" and you're right it is great, but remember this story began with a different person (Jairus) asking for help in healing his daughter, and the walk to his house has been interrupted by this whole interchange.
As a father myself, I can empathize with Jairus at this moment. And I imagine that my internal clock of desperation would be screaming at me right now. "Jesus! We need to hurry! My daughter is dying! Don't you remember?! You said you were going to help me, you were going to heal her! We are wasting time!"
And his worst fears are realized for only moments later someone arrives to deliver the most dreaded news a parent could ever hear. "Jairus, don't bother Jesus anymore. Your daughter is dead."
Jairus is hit with the flood of emotions I am sure. But, the first few moments are shock and terror.
And in that moment when Jairus is wrestling with the harsh truth of the news he has just received, Jesus says, "Do not be afraid. Let's continue to your house."
I don't know about Jairus, but I would be hard pressed to have hope. Nevertheless, when Jesus arrives, he enters with three of his disciples and Jairus and the girl's mom. And in one of his most dramatic miracles, Jesus raises this little girl from the dead.
Now, for most of us, the timing of this story is hard because with Jesus in charge the story had to pass through death to get to healing and hope.
I don't like this story, in spite of the amazing miracles that Jesus performs, because I believe it is trying to teach me that my sense of urgency and timing is not always in step with God's timing. That is frustrating, but it also is illuminating, because it means that there are circumstances in my life where I think the timing is all off, or totally out of whack and I come to find out that what felt like ridiculous turned out to be redemptive.
The more I have studied the timing of God in the Scriptures, the more I have found myself praying for a rhythm and heartbeat that align with God's. For while I like to think I am in control of my own destiny, and life and schedule - I know I am not, and like Jairus I need to relinquish my need to control time and allow space for God to do what God will do in me, through me and around me each and every day. Timing is everything, and God's timing is perfect. It doesn't always feel that way, but this truth cannot be denied the more we read the story of God in the Bible.
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