We all love a good story. Today we have a story within a story as we look at the story of two very different characters: Jarius and the bleeding woman.

Jarius was an important man who knew the Jewish law and understood the risk of coming to Jesus. He humbles himself, immediately displaying his faith. The bleeding woman would have been considered unclean and therefore would have been isolated. She came to Jesus quietly, but both of them came to Jesus with bold faith.

Sometimes our faith becomes static. We forget that faith requires us giving up our agenda to God’s timing. Sometimes faith requires us to sit at the feet of Jesus and wait- depending fully on God no matter what the situation.

Jarius came to Jesus with a strong and trusting faith. He had an urgent need, but his need was interrupted with this woman’s need. It wasn’t Jarius’ plan and that must have been frustrating. But Jesus relays words of comfort, telling him not to be afraid, but to trust in His timing. This requires full surrender.

Faith should embolden us to ACT, but sometimes it also requires WAITING, for our Father knows best. Faith is a release of our power to Jesus’ power which knows no barriers and brings freedom.

We worship an all powerful God who works with us to help us release our own power.

Our faith is personal. Not private, but personal. Jesus calls the bleeding woman “daughter” reversing her isolation and affirming that she is part of the family of God. This changed her and this can change us. In whatever problem or suffering we face, the presence of Jesus is what the Gospel offers.

The Christian Life: United in Christ

Weekly Devotional 5.19.2025

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” John 15:4

Our union with Jesus was established from eternity past and guaranteed for eternity future, ensuring our security in all matters of salvation, our hope as we reflect Jesus and become more like Him, and our joy as we share in community and fellowship with other believers. You have received incredible spiritual blessings and share in Jesus’ death, resurrection, and glorification. We should see it as a blessing that just as Jesus called us before the foundation of the world, He also calls us to serve, fellowship, and worship with each other as we reflect His glory in the church and to the world around us.

What’s your impression of Mary in the Bible? She has a major role in Jesus’ life for sure but is not mentioned by name in the Gospel of Mark or John, any of Paul’s letters or in the rest of the New Testament after the Book of Acts.

Today, we’re looking at the example of Mary, Jesus’ mother- a mother and a disciple. She’s a trailblazer for us in following Jesus.

• When Gabriel appears to Mary, the angel tells her that she has found favor with God. She had already displayed a life of faith. She shows us that the way to be prepared for God to work in our life is to have a daily foundation of faith. Her response to the angel is a faith masterclass: “I am the Lord’s servant, may your word to me be fulfilled.” She starts with trust.
• The Biblical story mostly skips forward three decades to Jesus’ ministry. Jesus has an interaction with Mary at the wedding in Cana and there seems to be a distancing in the relationship. In Mark chapter three as he had begun a ministry, he says to the crowd: ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (verses 33-35) Jesus is transitioning from being the Son of Mary to being the Son of Man. Surely this was difficult for Mary.
• Mary was then at the foot of the cross as Jesus suffered and died. In his dying moments, Jesus’ thoughts were with her. John 19:26-27 records the interaction: “So when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, He said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own household.” In her pain in that moment, did her heart cry out to God?
• In Acts chapter one, we see Mary with the other disciples waiting, devoted to prayer.

What does it mean to carry grief and pain without giving up hope? What does it mean to worship God who didn’t stop the suffering? Mary shows us.