Jesus Speaks to Women: Never Mind...It's Too Late...

"Never mind...it's too late..." (insert the sound effect of a giant balloon deflating loudly)

This expression is one of those that has the certain ability to, indeed, deflate all of one's hopes and dreams instantly, doesn't it?  I can remember a few "never mind, it's too late" instances that, even though happened years ago, still haunt me to this day.  I'm going to spare you mine, and talk about the one in the passage of Scripture we are paying attention to in Luke 8: 40-56. 

Let's focus on verse 49:

While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”

Yeah...the finality of the expression has the potential to leave all who hear it, completely demoralized...sunken in sadness, sorrow and hopelessness:  "never mind, your ___________ is dead, don't bother God anymore..." (fill in the blank with whatever or whoever:  Your hope to get that great job/find a spouse/have a child/buy a house/see your children grow up/have a healthy marriage/not to have that disease you dread/an effective treatment/a cure...)

Sigh...

The destructive power of words...

I mean, Jesus hadn't even stopped talking to the woman He had just healed!  He was wrapping up a huge miracle, and in come the naysayers... "never mind...it's too late...don't bother Him anymore..."

Really?  Don't bother Him anymore? What does that even mean?

How could anyone think that communicating one's hurts and deepest longings to Jesus is a bother to Him?  He already knows them, anyway, and...that's what He wants!  He wants us to seek Him first! In every and any situation!  He wants us to pray without ceasing!  Why would anyone believe that coming to Christ with our requests is a bother to Him?  Well...we do.

Whenever we stop believing, we start thinking this way.  Whenever our faith falters we start hearing the "never minds."  Whenever we allow ourselves to focus on the circumstances, and we let our eyes wander away from Our Lord's face, we lose hope.

But...no matter how much we know this, we still go through moments when we surrender to despair and believe the lie that "it's too late."  What to do in those moments, then?  I think, that every time we hear the "never mind...it's too late" thoughts begin to form in our minds or hear the words escape our mouths, that is the moment when we need to remember that it is never too late, too hard or too impossible for Christ! And search for His voice, hidden deep in the noise of fear, saying: 

50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”

The reactions that others and ourselves may have to apparent tragedy may serve as reminders that we are neglecting the voice of Our Lord.  The same way He spoke to Jairus, and basically shushed the messengers of doom...He hushes the voices that try to force us away from Him, His hope and His victory!  Let's surrender to Him...not to our feelings and emotions.  Let's allow Him to be God as we become still in His presence.  Let's hear His voice of healing and wait in Him.  Let's not be afraid and just believe!

May the Holy Spirit inspire our faith and filled it with the knowledge that it is never too late for God to act in us and in our circumstances.  Amen!