“It’s time to take the pie out of the oven,” comments the baker as she notices the browning of the crust’s edges. “It’ time to wash that shirt,” comments a mother as she notices her son’s favorite t-shirt filled with two weeks’ worth of dirt. Notice the use of the word “time” in these statements; it is not chronological time as we measure it on a clock, but it is “presence” time. The presence of “baked-ness” had peaked, and the pie is ready to eat. The presence of “dirtiness” had come to fulfillment, and the shirt was ready for the laundry.
Jesus Christ’s appearance of the earth marked the fulfillment of God’s time A promise that had “baked” in the oven of prophecy for thousands of years was ready to be taken out of the oven of God’s plan. The accumulation of “sin-dirt” was ready at last for God’s washing machine.
The number “Twelve” represented completion in Jewish thought. God set up twelve tribes in Israel. Jesus chose twelve Apostles. And, in today’s gospel passage, we see reference made to “twelve” years used twice (Mark 5:21-43).
“There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She…came up behind (Jesus)…and touched his cloak, Immediately her flow of blood dried up.”
Just as Israel labored with sin for many years, so this woman bore her pain for twelve years. The “pre-time” help of doctors made her condition only get worse. Then she came in contact with Jesus—who was the fulfillment of God’s presence on earth—and was healed.
Then Jesus continued his journey that began at the request of Jairus, a synagogue official, to heal his daughter who was at the point of death. While Jesus was still speaking to the healed woman, people came to announce that Jairus’ daughter had died.
“Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.”…When they arrived at the house…(Jesus) caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion…The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed him…He entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her “Talitha koum”…The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around.”
We notice that Jesus disregarded the message of those who announced death, and ignored the “weepers and wailers” who ridiculed him. As surely as God was entering history to establish his permanent presence on earth, Jesus walked resolutely into the girl’s room and told her to get up. She awakened to new life. And she was twelve years old! She was born at the time the sick woman’s hemorrhaging began! Chronological time and “presence” time intersected at that moment.
Though we are caught up in thinking of chronological time, we have access to the God’s “time” whenever we encounter the living person of Jesus Christ. We have the option to leave our “pre-time” conditions and reach out to Jesus for help. We have the power of faith seen in Jairus to call Jesus even into “point of death” situations. Today we live in the “twelfth” year of God’s plan, and can enter into this time of fulfillment by inviting Jesus into our lives.
“Christ took away our infirmities and bore our diseases” (Matthew 8:17).
