THE LIFE-GIVER | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA · Nov 8, 1899

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 25, No. 45.

THE LIFE-GIVER.

"In Him was life; and the life was the light of men." "With Thee," says the psalmist, "is the fountain of life." "For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself." "For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us."

CHRIST was the manifestation of the righteous, eternal life of God to the world. In Him the life of God flowed uninterruptedly, according to the law of that life—the righteous law of God. When Christ gave Himself for the salvation of the race, when He was about to come to this world and take the body of flesh prepared for Him, He said: "Lo, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of Me, I delight to do Thy will, O my God; yea, Thy law is within My heart." God's life flows free where God's law is supreme.

EVERY miracle wrought by our Lord was the manifestation of God's life. It was the life power of God over the elements, over Satan, over all manner of disease, over sin, over the climax of sin,—death. And so it is said concerning His works, at the close of one of the records of His personal, earthly ministry: "These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name."

THOSE who came to Jesus for help and healing appreciated, in a sense, at least, that He had power above themselves. Those who were instructed in the Scriptures, as Nicodemus, knew that His power must be from God. Some were moved upon for the moment, as were the nine lepers, who, as soon as healed, forgot the Healer. They received seed in stony ground; the grace received brought forth no fruit to eternal life.

FOR many to come to Jesus, looking at it from a worldly standpoint, meant humility, self-denial, and courage. Their very coming was a confession that they were not sufficient of themselves, nor did they find their sufficiency in the ornate ceremonies or ecclesiastical traditions of a worldly religion. These and self must be given up; and in so doing they broke from their associates, the proud Pharisees, scribes, and lawyers of the nation.

“And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagog, Jairus by name; and when he saw Him, he fell at His feet, and besought Him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death; I pray Thee, come and lay Thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.” Mark 5:22, 23.

THUS it must have been with Jairus, the ruler of the synagog at Capernaum. (See Matt. 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56.) He had, of course, heard of Jesus in many ways; he had doubtless heard him in the synagog. He had known of the healing of the centurion, who loved the Jews and built them the very synagog at Capernaum in which Jairus was ruler. Yet Jairus, in the face of all these things, acknowledges not the Lord.

THERE came a time when the Lord allowed affliction to lay its heavy hand upon the proud ruler's household. His loved and only daughter was stricken. Earthly physicians do all in their power; kind hands minister to her wants; but she rapidly grows worse. By whatever channel it matters not, but it comes to the ruler's mind that there is healing in Jesus. We may easily fancy that he sent faithful servants for the Master, who found Him not. He finally, as the death shade falls upon his daughter's countenance, goes forth himself, almost in despair. Angels guide him to the Master's presence. There is a heart in need; there is a Reservoir of riches to supply it. There is emptiness in the life of the hitherto haughty rabbi; there is fulness in the heart of Jesus to provide. Jairus finds the Life, casts himself, no longer proud or apprehensive of the speech of his fellows, at the feet of the Master, and pleads in the anguish of his soul, "My little daughter lieth at the point of death [yea, I fear is even now dead; but] come and lay Thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live." The ruler's faith encompassed the very life of God. When he cast himself at the Master's feet, he gave all; and the blessed Lord recognized the humility and faith. "And Jesus went with Him."

BUT how the faith of Jairus must have been tried on the way! The people throng the way. At every step they must crowd their way through the throng. Another soul, the timid woman with the simple faith, is healed by touching the border of His garment on His way. Jesus pauses to assure her heart. While He thus waits, an officious, unbelieving servant

comes from the ruler's household with the message, "Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?" We can see in this how Jairus was urging Christ forward. The ruler's heart sank within him; but Jesus presses closer to the heart-broken man, and comforts him: "Fear not; believe only, and she shall be made whole."

WE need not follow them in detail the remainder of the journey. They arrive at the house and find the maid dead, and the mourners weeping for revenue. We hear the assurance of the Master of life that in His purpose she but slept, and the scornful rejection of His words; we see the putting forth of personified unbelief from the house, and the going in of Jesus, with the father and mother and His disciples. We see Him take the waxen hand of the still form in His own warm clasp, and we hear again the life-giving words, "Talitha cumi."—"Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise." We see the evidences of new life take possession of form and feature; the eyes open; she straightway arises; and Jesus gives her to her parents, forgetting not the fast of sickness and her need to be supplied by natural food. And as we see them, our hearts rejoice anew in the Life-giver.

FOR, reader, while all this work was wrought for Jairus and those who then lived, it was written for us who should come afterward. Jesus Christ changes not. He is "the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever." He is life now as He was then. He will meet your need as He met the needs of those in like circumstances. He will heal your heart if you will let Him. If you will yield to Him, He will put within you the life and light of God. And even tho your loved ones are buried in earth, in His purpose they sleep; and if in Him, they will awake to eternal life and beauty. But do not put off the precious lessons and message of this miracle; receive them now; for "behold, now is the acceptable time."