I heard this lesson almost 30 years ago and it has always stayed with me.

It involves three events during Jesus' ministry which are recorded in the 5th chapter of Mark's Gospel. The first involves a man who had been overcome by evil spirits. We are not told why God permitted these evil spirits to have a season here on earth, tormenting and inhabiting both the innocent and the guilty. Perhaps it was just one more way in which Jesus was allowed to show His Divine power, even over the most evil of beings. Whatever the reason, the man we read of in Mark 5 was clearly tormented by a group of demons so numerous that he was called by the name "Legion". Men had tried to help, finally resorting to trying to subdue him with chains, but to no avail. When Jesus found him, he was running through a cemetery, naked and broken free from his chains. 

When he saw Jesus, he ran to Him for help. And, when no one else could help, Jesus did! He freed this tormented man from his demons and set him free from his life of bondage!

Next, we find Jesus being sought out by one of the synagogue rulers. His daughter lay at the point of death but no one could do anything about it. So, he came to Jesus and urged Him to come to his house to heal his daughter. While on the way, Jesus was pressed by crowds of people seeking His healing.

Who knows how many thousands of people came to Jesus during His ministry to be healed, but we do know that Jesus did in fact heal them. Whether blind or lame or deaf or diseased, Jesus healed them all, even when no one else could.

It was just such an occasion when Jesus was being mobbed by the masses as He made his way to the house of the synagogue ruler. A woman who we are told had an issue of blood for twelve years came to Jesus. She was at her wits end, having suffered at the hands of many physicians for many years. All had tried, and all had failed. But when she finally came in contact with the Great Physician, Jesus healed her! And, like the man called Legion, she fell at His feet in thanksgiving and worship. For, when no one else could help, Jesus did!

About this time, a message came from the house of the synagogue ruler, "Your daughter has died..." Only those who have experienced such an event can fully understand, I certainly cannot. This precious little girl, very likely the light of this man and his wife's lives, was suddenly gone! But Jesus quickly said to the man, "Be not afraid, only believe". And when He came to the man's home, which by that time was surrounded by the grief-stricken and comforters alike, Jesus went inside and raised this precious child from the dead!

When no one else could help, Jesus could!

Would this help you in your life? I realize that we do not have Jesus in bodily form walking this earth healing people instantaneously anymore, but we are not without help. It is true that God can accomplish many great things through prayer, but I'm not necessarily referring to that. I'm talking about the fact that we have been given a hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. This offer of eternal life has been accomplished through God's grace and the resurrection of our slain Savior, and it can be received by anyone who is willing to do their small part.

That small part does involve a lifetime of service, to be sure, but it begins with the same message that Jesus gave to the grieving synagogue ruler: "Be not afraid, only believe".

My wife and I have lost all four of our parents in recent years. They had led good, long lives and though we were prepared for the inevitable, it still was difficult. I would never compare that to the loss of a child, but this eternal truth is what I wanted to call to your attention. If they were as faithful as they appeared to be, and if Carolyn and I will be faithful to God and Christ, though we have failed Them so many times, we will by God's grace be reunited with our loved ones someday. And that reunion will come with the promise of never having to separated again. 

We have had other difficult experiences, as I know you have as well. Carolyn experienced at least three miscarriages in our early marriage, one of which caused her to hemorrhage and be rushed into to surgery to save her life. I don't pretend to know what God does with the souls of these precious, unborn children but I am confident that it will be the very best thing. I have often wondered if we do not have at least three children we have yet to meet already awaiting our arrival in Heaven someday. Just the thought of this, combined with the thought of being with all of my loved ones someday, is a very powerful motivator. I long for the day that we shall be together again, with old familiar loved ones, and with those whom we have yet to meet. I don't deserve such a reunion, but Jesus has promised it every one of us just the same. We just have to do our part!

There are bitter times of suffering in this life, no one who has lived very long can deny that. And while there are many who get angry at such times and blame God and will even wonder what good faith in Christ has been, let me encourage you not to fall into that dangerous trap. God loves you! And the truth that we read of in Mark is just as true for us today as it was some 2,000 years ago: When no one else can help, Jesus can. We just have to let Him! We just have to be not afraid and believe!