Worthy Brief - October 20, 2026

 Worthy Brief - October 20, 2026 

Do not be afraid, only believe! 

Mark 5:35-36, 41-42 While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe."  41 Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." 42 Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. 

In our last devotion, "Keep Your Lamp Burning," the Ten Virgins called us to be ready for a Bridegroom who appeared to be coming late. Let's look at the miracle of Jairus and his daughter and see what faith looks like when the King is apparently coming too late.

Jairus comes to Yeshua (Jesus) in utter desperation. He's the ruler of the synagogue in Capernaum, a man of standing, but grief has stripped him of all that. He falls at Yeshua's feet and pleads with Him to come and heal his daughter as she's dying. Yeshua goes with him.

Even his name is a promise. Jairus is the Greek form of the Hebrew Ya’ir (יָאִיר), which means “he will shine” or “he will give light.” It comes from or (אוֹר), the Hebrew word for light. In our last devotion, we talked about lamps burning in the night. Today we watch a man whose very name means “he will shine” walk through the darkest night a father could ever face.

On the way, there's an interruption. A woman who had been suffering for 12 years comes through the crowd and touches the very edge of Yeshua's garment. He stops. He speaks to her. He calls her 'Daughter'. He is still speaking when the messengers come from Jairus' house: 'Her daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any further?'

Notice the detail Mark shares: the woman had been bleeding for twelve years, and Jairus' daughter was twelve years old. The woman had suffered for as long as the girl had lived. It seemed that healing one daughter meant losing the other. But the King was about to show that helping one person never limits His power to help another.

For Jairus, the delay must have been absolutely agonizing. The need had gone from one of healing to one of impossibility. And as soon as Yeshua heard the words, he spoke straight into the fear that was rising in Jairus' heart: "Don't be afraid. Only believe."

"Do not be afraid" is one of heaven's oldest words. In Hebrew it's al tira (אַל־תִּירָא) and it's the word God spoke to Abraham, to Joshua and to Israel time and again. "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes I will help you" (Isaiah 41:10). When Yeshua spoke it to Jairus He was speaking the very same words that had soothed His people for two thousand years.

When Yeshua said "only believe" He was calling Jairus to emunah (אֱמוּנָה), the Hebrew word for faith. It comes from the root aman (אָמַן), meaning to be firm, steady, something you can lean on that won't give way. It shares the root with "amen," which means "this is firm, this is sure." In the Bible faith is not just a feeling. It is putting all your weight on God knowing He will not move. Isaiah uses the same root twice in one sentence to make that point: "If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established" (Isaiah 7:9). In Hebrew it is im lo ta'aminu ki lo te'amenu (תֵאָמֵנ ולֹא כִּי תַאֲמִינוּ לֹא אִם). In plain English: if you will not believe, you will not be established. 

Faith keeps you standing when bad news comes to knock you down. Faith doesn't dispute the report. It simply won't allow the report to be the last word.

When they get to the house, the mourners are already wailing. Yeshua says, "The child is not dead, but sleeping," and they laugh at Him. He sends them all out. Sometimes unbelief must be excluded so one can see what the King is about to do.

Yeshua takes the girl's father and mother and Peter, James and John with him and goes into the room where the child is lying. He takes her by the hand. Then He speaks in Aramaic, the language of her home: "Talitha, cumi". Talitha is a sweet word for a little girl, from a root which can mean a young lamb. The Good Shepherd is calling His little lamb.

And cumi is the exact same word in Hebrew (kumi (קוּמִי) arise). That's the word used in one of the most magnificent promises in Scripture: "Arise, shine; for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you" (Isaiah 60:1). In Hebrew it's kumi ori (קוּמִי אוֹרִי): Arise, shine. In the house of a man called Ya'ir, "he will shine," says Yeshua, "Kumi," and light floods back into the house which had been in darkness. The girl gets up and walks, and the parents are absolutely astounded.

The delay didn't cancel the miracle. The report did not limit the King. The interruption on the road was not the end of the story.

The Bridegroom may seem delayed, but a delay doesn’t mean He is absent, and it never means defeat. He may come later than we hoped, but He is never too late to do what only He can do.

You stand under the same word Jairus heard: al tira (אַל־תִּירָא), “do not be afraid.” The King who stopped for the woman in the crowd is walking toward your house with purpose and love. His timing is perfect, His power is as strong as ever, and His hand is reaching for the very things you hold dear. So lean your full weight on Him with confidence and joy. He is speaking kumi (קוּמִי) over your life right now. Arise and shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord is rising upon you!

George & Baht Rivka