It's not too late

The miracle of Jarius' daughter begins after Jesus returns by boat to the other side of the lake.  It seems as though Jarius, a ruler of the synagogue, has been waiting for his arrival.  When Jarius sees Christ,  "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.  And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him." Mark 5:22-24

While on his way to heal the girl, another woman seeks and receives a miraculous healing.  She has been sick for 12 years and has faith that if she can just touch Christ, she will be healed.  She does and she is.  Christ, aware of the miracle, stops to find her and tell her that her faith has made her whole.  Although it is beautiful and life changing experience for this woman, it appears that this delay has been fatal for Jarius’ daughter. 

"While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?”

But Jesus tells them in effect, “It‘s not too late.”

“As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.  And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.  But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.  And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.  And straightway the damsel arose and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.”  Mark 5:35-42

I love this miracle.  Elder Richard G. Scott taught, "To produce fruit, your trust in the Lord must be more powerful and enduring than your confidence in your own personal feelings and experience.  To exercise faith is to trust that the Lord knows what He is doing with you and that He can accomplish it for your eternal good even though you cannot understand how He can possibly do it."  Whether we think that Christ's power is limited by time, or by our own imperfections, or the good He is doing in someone else's life, or the sometimes daunting circumstances of mortality, we are wrong.  It's not too late.  Be not afraid, only believe. When we do, miracles like that which the family of Jarius experienced can be ours as well.