This ruler finds Jesus because of his despair and helplessness. He can only watch his daughter and is now desperate for help. Jesus is led to the daughter; the man must now feel some sense of “This may work out,” while he and Jesus are on the way. As Ruler of the synagogue, it was his duty to select the readers or teachers in the synagogue, to examine the discourses of the public speakers, and to see that all things were done with decency and in accordance with ancestral usage.
In the “Church” he was a powerful man like many people of faith. I consider myself a powerful person. I do what I am empowered to do on most days. I have good success in my field of expertise and my gifts I use to help others. Yet, at times I can feel so helpless. My most helpless times are when someone I love is sick or so helpless they may die. My Uncle Grover who I quote to my wife was a loud, outgoing charismatic man. He would tell the most wonderful stories and sometimes lies. He was the griot of “foolishness.” He loved to have a good time. I went to his bed one day because he was too weak to move about. He had lost his strength but not his storytelling or ability to laugh. I was in my early twenties and that is one of the times I felt helpless. Something in your life (if you keep living) is going to make you helpless.
Whether it is sickness, sorrow, bad health, inability to control circumstances, other people or somethingit will all render you helpless.
Breathe again…slowly. Invoke God’s presence. “Incline you ear Lord and come closer to your helpless child.” Think of a time when you needed the help of God and it worked out fine for you or someone else. Can you feel your help coming (as the ancestors said) or present with you? I say feel, because help can bring on a visceral reaction. You may say "I am helpless but now I have confidence that God is beginning to take control." God is taking control of my heart and mind. I have a new peacefulness, a new and calm serenity, a quiet joy, uncertain, yet certain that you and I are in the hands of God. God’s got it.
In the “Church” he was a powerful man like many people of faith. I consider myself a powerful person. I do what I am empowered to do on most days. I have good success in my field of expertise and my gifts I use to help others. Yet, at times I can feel so helpless. My most helpless times are when someone I love is sick or so helpless they may die. My Uncle Grover who I quote to my wife was a loud, outgoing charismatic man. He would tell the most wonderful stories and sometimes lies. He was the griot of “foolishness.” He loved to have a good time. I went to his bed one day because he was too weak to move about. He had lost his strength but not his storytelling or ability to laugh. I was in my early twenties and that is one of the times I felt helpless. Something in your life (if you keep living) is going to make you helpless.
Whether it is sickness, sorrow, bad health, inability to control circumstances, other people or somethingit will all render you helpless.
Breathe again…slowly. Invoke God’s presence. “Incline you ear Lord and come closer to your helpless child.” Think of a time when you needed the help of God and it worked out fine for you or someone else. Can you feel your help coming (as the ancestors said) or present with you? I say feel, because help can bring on a visceral reaction. You may say "I am helpless but now I have confidence that God is beginning to take control." God is taking control of my heart and mind. I have a new peacefulness, a new and calm serenity, a quiet joy, uncertain, yet certain that you and I are in the hands of God. God’s got it.