Go Ahead, Bother the Teacher!

Those of you with children can relate with me I am sure, when they want something, they may hint around about it, but when they really want something they may tend to hover, follow you around, looking for just the right opportunity to ask. We as adults are somewhat the same, when we really want something, we pursue after it.  When it is of dire NEED we pull out all the stops and hunt-it-down!

Yet for some of us we may hesitate in going after something with the mindset of not wanting to bother others to get it. We stop short.  We find this (almost happening) in Mark chapter 5. To set the context: Jesus is in a crowd, He has just healed the woman with the issue of bleeding, remember her? She wanted… NEEDED to touch Jesus. She got in as close as she could and reached out and touched His clothing. The result? He healed her.

He is still speaking to the moment when He overhears a conversation between a few men and a fellow name Jairus, he too had come to see and hopefully speak with Jesus. We pick up in verse 35 “Some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler.’ They said… “Your daughter is dead, why bother the teacher anymore.” It says Jesus ignored what they said and addressed Jairus directly, “Don’t be afraid, just believe.”

Jesus takes Peter, James and John and they go to the gentleman’s home. When they get there, many are crying and wailing aloud because the girl is dead. He goes in and takes the girl by the hand, saying to her “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” Immediately she gets up. All were completely astonished, wowed, in awe!

As I read this, the Lord began to speak to me about persistence, why do we stop short? Why do we not pursue certain things, things found on the ‘God list.’ What caught my eye was when the men said “Why bother the teacher.”  You can almost see them reach out and take Jairus by his cloak and gently pull him away and can you hear Jesus turn and say… ‘go ahead … bother the Teacher!’ Notice Jesus doesn’t address the men who made the statement? He speaks directly to the father of the girl, the man in need.

When the men said, “Why bother the teacher anymore.” They were basically saying, “DON’T!” It’s a lost cause, it is too late, don’t waste your time, why even go to the trouble, it is over. Beloved, nothing is beyond Jesus, even if it looks final!

If I am to ‘bother Jesus’, I want to know how to go about it.  The men said not to ‘skyllo’ (in the Greek) the teacher. Meaning to trouble, bother, annoy as we would think, but it is more… it is to crowd in. Hm… crowd in… get in as close as I can! It is not hanging back in the crowd (if you will) and hoping to catch His eye from afar. I am like the gusty gal with the bleeding issue, I too get in as close as I can and reach for Him.  James 4:8 says “Come near to God and He will come near to you.” Hebrews 4:16 ‘Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  One commentator says  “To practice persistence does more to change our hearts and minds, it helps us understand and express the intensity of our need.”  We N-E-E-D Him.  May we allow the process of persistent pursuit bring us to HIM.

What is it that you and I want or NEED from Jesus? Those things we think are either too small, too big or hold the mindset that God is too busy with other things to be concerned with us. Or perhaps we are listening to those around us, whispering we are facing a lost cause or speak ‘little’ of our God and His capability.  Do not stop short.

I believe Jesus is saying to us, “Go ahead … Bother the Teacher!”  Come near, come boldly, CROWD in.

In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love & good deeds.” – Heb. 10:24)