The Amazing Carpenter #2
Jairus’ Daughter
Jairus’ Daughter Copyright 2013 © Scandinavia Publishing House Drejervej 15, DK 2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark Email: info@scanpublishing.dk www.scanpublishing.dk Author: Cecilie Vium Fodor Translated by: L.M. Alex Illustrator: Daniel Fernández Cover design: Svetlana Uscumlic Graphic design: Gao Hanyu ISBN: 9788771321128 Printed in China
The Amazing Carpenter #2
Jairus’ Daughter by
Cecilie Vium Fodor
Illustrations: Daniel Fernández
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t was already getting dark as Jairus came in the door. The sun’s final rays had painted the sky red, and its warmth rose off the ground and walls
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so hot that it turned your mouth dry. Rina had been standing on the roof when she spotted her beloved father coming home.
Rina headed down the stairs. “I cannot understand this man,” she heard her father’s voice say. “He turns everything upside down! While with thieves and robbers, he talks about treating one’s enemies well. He calls himself the son of God, yet today he healed a man inside the synagogue... and on the Sabbath! Doesn’t he know the commandments forbid this?” Rina could not tell if her father was angry, but he certainly didn’t sound glad. “The synagogue elders were furious. They yelled at
me for having let him come into the synagogue in the first place.” “Jairus, don’t get so worked up,” said Rina’s mother Elizabeth. “Just wait a bit, and he will probably be gone as quickly as he came.” Rina’s father gave a deep sigh. “The man knows the entire scripture,” Jairus said, looking bewildered. “Yet he’s only a carpenter’s son from Nazareth. Do we even know who his family is?”
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“H
i, father!” said Rina, poking her head through the doorway. Jairus turned toward her with a huge smile. “Hi there, joy of my life!” Jairus said the same thing every time he saw his daughter. Rina means joy in Hebrew. “Come and get a hug from your dad,” he said, reaching his arms out to his daughter. Rina pushed a dark strand of hair off her forehead. “Who are you talking about?” she asked with a charming glance toward her parents. Rina was
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so very pretty that she could wrap anyone around her finger with just a smile. That’s what her father always said anyway. Her chocolate brown hair was smooth and shiny and, above a delicate nose were two almond-shaped eyes that flashed the color of gold. “Oh, just a man,” Jairus answered, “calls himself Jesus. He means well, but he also says a lot of nonsense. He can quote the Torah perfectly, but he doesn’t follow all the commandments.”
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R
ina lay in bed that night, thinking over everything her parents had discussed. There were some people who said Jesus had healed them of their illnesses. Others were angry with him because he thought in such a new way. For instance, Jesus had warned the synagogue elders to stop doing good things just to get praise. Instead, he told them they should do good in order to please their Father in heaven.
she helped with something. Jesus had said that his Father in heaven was God himself. And that God always sees the good things we do, and will reward it. “I wonder how God can reward something when He’s all the way in heaven.” Rina thought. Was this what dad meant when he said that Jesus spoke nonsense? Rina slowly drifted off to sleep.
She thought for a long time about the last part. Rina really liked getting praise, especially from her mom and dad after
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he next morning Rina’s mother said that she was off to the market square. “To the market! To-DAY?” squealed Rina, lighting up with a smile. Then as sweetly as she could, she asked, “Can’t I come with you, pleeeease?” Rina’s mother frowned. She looked her daughter straight in the eye. “Rina, we aren’t going to town just so you can disappear with Caleb. Last time I spent hours trying to find you.“ But
Rina was no longer listening. She was already imagining herself in line at Caleb’s stand. Caleb was her neighbor. At almost fourteen, he had dark eyes and nut-brown curls. He smiled every time he saw her, which gave Rina so many butterflies in her stomach that she had to look down to stop feeling dizzy. His father owned several stands in the square where Caleb helped sell fruit and bread. “Well alright,” said Rina’s mother. “You can come as long you help me carry things home.”
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hen they reached town, the market was almost empty. Nearly everyone had gone to where Jesus and his disciples had gathered. Jesus seemed to be all anyone wanted to talk about, and every person in town had an opinion about him, good or bad. Rina’s mother stopped at the stand where Caleb usually worked. Today though, only his father was there. “It certainly is quiet today,” said Elizabeth. “Yes,” answered Caleb’s father, rolling his eyes. “That’s because
the carpenter’s son from Nazareth is in town.” He sounded annoyed. “Everyone wants to see his miracles, and...” Caleb was nowhere to be seen. Disappointed, Rina plopped down on an empty crate. The air felt heavy in the mid-day heat, and dust swirled up at the teensiest breeze from the lake. With a frown Rina rested her chin in her hand. Maybe she should have stayed home after all. Right now she could be talking with a friend under a fig tree. The thought had only crossed her mind when out of nowhere… “Hey, Rina.”
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ina lept to her feet, whirling around. There stood Caleb. “I have to show you something!” Before she could answer, he had grabbed Rina’s hand and was yanking her through the market. Caleb knew the square inside and out and easily found the shortcuts between stands. Only minutes later, they were staring up at the synagogue. Rina turned to look back at the market, but it was no longer in sight. She was just opening her mouth to get mad at Caleb when he gave her a look of blazing excitement and asked, “Have you heard about Jesus, the one who does miracles?”
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Rina paused carefully. Then she nodded and smiled because her heart was turning a somersault. Somehow she knew they were about to see something very special. Caleb pointed to a large group of people in front of the synagogue. “Yesterday I saw Jesus touch a blind man’s eyes, and suddenly the man could see! He also healed someone with a paralyzed hand,” said Caleb. “Makes you wonder what he’ll do today.” Rina felt such a thrill going through her that she forgot to worry about her mother alone at the market.
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o many people were gathered that Rina could hardly tell what they were looking at. What she did see, however, was that a few grouchy-looking men were trying to shoo the children away.
to Rina. She saw how Jesus wore the same simple clothes as his disciples, and his beard looked just like any man’s. Yet he looked so peaceful it seem like he weighed nothing at all.
That’s when a clear voice rang out above the others, “Stop sending the children away; let them come to me.”
“Master,” one of the disciples was saying, “We assumed you wouldn’t want to be bothered by all of these mothers and children.”
“That’s Jesus!” said Caleb, turning
“You are wrong, Peter,” Jesus
replied. “In fact, it is the children to whom the kingdom of heaven belongs.” After these words, the women with little ones in their arms came flooding towards Jesus for his blessing on them. Rina just stood watching everything in amazement and secretly wished Caleb would put his arm around her. A short while later, a scuffle heated up. Some Pharisees had pushed
their way through the crowd and were trying to start an argument with Jesus. Their eyebrows were pinched with anger, and some wagged long bony fingers at Jesus. They were so angry that they shook their fists toward the sky as if having caught a lightning bolt. The mothers whisked their children back behind their skirts while the disciples mostly just shook their heads at the ground.
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“W
e’d better head back,” said Caleb, looking worried. He steered Rina toward the square, but her mind stayed distracted on all she had seen. How could the synagogue leaders all be so angry with Jesus when everything he did was loving and kind? Back at the square, the sun had already begun to make long shadows on the ground. Most of the stalls had been packed up. Their parents had been looking everywhere for them and wore looks of annoyance as they
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spotted the returning adventurers. “Just where have you been?” Rina’s mother asked them. It was obvious that neither of the children were going to answer. Elizabeth unhappily dropped three bundles into her daughter’s arms then whirled on her heel to inform them that they were leaving immediately.
wedged the bread under her arm. His sparkling brown eyes looked up with a smile from only inches away. Rina’s face suddenly burned hot; all she could muster was a wimpy nod. Then she turned and rushed after her mother.
With her mother’s back turned, Caleb stepped toward Rina with a loaf of fresh bread from their stall. “Maybe next time we’ll get to see a miracle,” he said, as he
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A
few days after her adventure with Caleb, Rina got sick. At first it was just a fever. Her mother brought her hot drinks as she lay in bed resting in the cool interior of the house. She felt so bored she could scream. How badly she wanted to go to town again and see Caleb. Or to visit her girlfriends and show them the pearl embroidery she
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had made. Even pulling weeds in the garden sounded more fun than just lying in bed all day. But the harder she wished to get well, the sicker she seemed to get. Every time Elizabeth came in to check on her, her mother’s face fell in an unhappy frown. Her father looked down at her with droopy, sad eyes. “Oh, my darling girl...” he would mutter, rubbing his beard. Her mother added a heavy sigh. “May God be with her... and with us.”
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ay after day, Rina did not get better. A cloud of sadness had moved into the house, leaving it deathly quiet. Visitors were rare, but when they did come, they spoke with her parents in hushed whispers and looked toward Rina with a worried glance. Rina just lay and watched the shadows pass across the walls. She ached for the happiness that once filled her house... the laughter of arriving guests, the smell of fresh-cut flowers and of dinner getting pulled from the oven, and the songs they would sing after eating in the orange glow of candlelight. She missed feeling the hard roof under her back as she watched the stars
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grow brighter in the blackening sky. She missed picking peaches in the orchard with a friend while they debated which shepherd boy was the cutest. But she missed Caleb above all. She thought about where he might be at that very moment maybe working at the market or fishing by the lake. She imagined what sorts of miracles he might be seeing Jesus perform.
One day, a doctor came with a serious message. Rina knew this because her father did not say anything back. He just sat frozen, staring at nothing in particular, like an empty crab shell. Rina’s mother cried and cried and cried, and no amount of soothing hands could comfort her.
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here came an early morning rap-rap-rap on the door. Outside stood Caleb, flushed from running. “Yes?” croaked Rina’s father.
“I heard Rina is very sick,” said Caleb. He wriggled uncomfortably. “I... I think I know who can heal her.” “Caleb,” Jairus said slowly. At the sound of Rina’s name, her father’s eyes had welled up with tears. “We’ve done everything we can for Rina. The best thing we can do now is to hope God steps in and makes her healthy.” “It’s not enough!” said Caleb, practically shouting. “Not when Jesus can heal her. And I know where he is right now!” Caleb’s eyes had already fixed themselves on the horizon with determination. “Come on, let’s go.” “Caleb, wait.” Jairus had grown a bit exasperated. “Please understand; I can’t go to Jesus for help! I’m the leader of the synagogue. And Jesus... well, he…” “—is the Carpenter who can do ANYTHING!” Caleb completed. He was getting desperate. “But if you won’t come with me,” he said, anxiously looking at his feet, “then at least let me bring Jesus to you.” Jairus looked down at the boy with a tired curiosity. Not a single one of the doctors had been able to offer a cure for Rina. The only hope he had left was now only the fragile, flickering flame of a matchstick. Yet Caleb’s hope still managed to shine brightly. Without fully knowing why, Jairus put on his sandals and followed along after Caleb. 24
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aleb led Jairus through town and down to the lake. On the shore a large group of people had gathered with all eyes locked on the man in simple robes who stood in their center. Jairus was wishing he could hide. It was he, Jairus, that the people in the city bowed to
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when they passed and whose advice was sought in matters of the court. He followed all the rules of the Torah and instructed others to do the same. Jairus had been saying that Jesus spoke nonsense and that he would neither listen to nor follow a man like him.
And now here he was to ask Jesus for help. What would people say? Jairus knew that the synagogue elders would mock him for it. They’d probably throw him out of the synagogue. Maybe even force his family to move right out of town, too? Yet even so... he had vowed he would do anything at all that might help
Rina, and it was no longer doctors that were able to heal her. Jairus sat on a withered log, wondering how he would bear losing the joy and the light of his life. Big tears pricked his eyes, and he wiped them quickly away with a trembling hand.
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“C
ome, Jairus!” said Caleb, yanking Jairus from his sad thoughts. “We have to hurry if we want to get to Jesus.” People were shoving their way toward Jesus from all sides, listing off their sickness and everything else they needed. Before long, Jairus could hardly see Jesus at all.
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Jairus rushed down to the crowd, realizing everyone was too interested in Jesus to care about the leader of the synagogue. He squeezed his way between the people as he shouted, “Let me talk to Jesus; let me in to see Jesus. My only daughter is about to die!” When they saw that it was Jairus, the people made way. Here came
the man that had warned them against the disciples. Had Jairus come to challenge Jesus with questioning and scolding the way the scribes and Pharisees did? As Jairus approached, Jesus smiled at him with warmth and kindness. Jairus’ broken heart was
so heavy that he dropped to his knees. “My only daughter is so sick that she hasn’t much time,” said Jairus, his voice quivering. “Please, won’t you come to my home and pray for her?” With the rain clouds inside of him about to burst, he no longer could care what anyone else thought...there was only Rina.
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“Y
es,” replied Jesus. “I’ll come to your home.” With that, Jesus and a few disciples left the crowd to go with Jairus. As the group walked along, Caleb trotted next to Jairus. “I just know that Jesus will make your daughter well,” he whispered with a secretive smile. Jairus didn’t really know
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what to think. The only thing he knew for certain was that he would do anything to save his darling daughter. “They say he can cure any sickness,” Caleb continued gleefully. Jesus halted suddenly. “Who touched me?” he said. A few stragglers from the crowd had been following along with them.
“Master,” said one of the disciples. “The people are trying to touch you from every side.” But Jesus knew one person in particular needed his help very badly. Jairus was growing worried; they’d never reach the house if they had to stop every time someone touched Jesus’ robe.
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everal moments passed. Finally, a small, older woman inched her way toward Jesus. Her filthy clothes hung like rags, and her hair hung from under her scarf in a stinking mess that made Jairus wrinkle his nose. “It was I who touched you, Jesus,” said the woman. She looked shy and frightened. Looking down at the ground, she whispered, “I’ve been so sick that no one wanted to be near me for years.” Tears flooded over her pale eyelashes and were now running
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down her cheeks. “But--” she said, lifting her head suddenly to look Jesus straight in the eye, “now I know that I am healed.”
“She looked like she had been sick for many years,” thought Jairus. He himself would certainly never have touched someone so dirty.
Jesus lifted a gentle hand onto the woman’s shoulder. “My friend, your faith has healed you,” he said with a smile. “Your faith has given you a whole new life, and I now count you as a friend.”
Yet watching the woman and Jesus made Jairus’ tiny flame of hope light up just a bit stronger. Could it be that Jesus was something more than a carpenter after all?
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s they started walking again, a man came running towards them. Jairus groaned; they’d never reach the house if they had to stop every time someone wanted help from Jesus. Jairus realized it was his neighbor, Zechariah. Perhaps he had come to tell them that Rina was feeling better? Yet when Zechariah reached the group, his head hung low. “Jairus,” he said, not raising his eyes, “your daughter, she’s... dead.”
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Jairus felt like he had been thrown from a horse. Barely able to breathe, his knees fell to the ground. Darkness filled him, and the tears he’d held inside so long now flowed down his cheeks. Jesus put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Nothing is impossible with God,” he said. Jairus looked at Jesus in disbelief. How could someone
say such a thing at a time like this? Death was not a sickness that could be healed. Death was a door that once closed could never be reopened. He was so bound in sorrow that Jairus didn’t notice Caleb tugging at his sleeve. “I’m running on ahead,” said Caleb. “To tell everyone not to worry; Jesus is on his way.”
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airus gripped the door frame to steady himself as he looked around for his wife. Friends and relatives wearing the dark colors of mourning sat huddled in every corner of the house. And here came poor Jairus whose only daughter was dead! Agonized cries pierced the air. Only one among them was not crying. In a clear and steady voice, Jesus said to them, “Do not cry. Rina is not dead—she’s only sleeping.” How cruel that this outsider would joke at a time like this! Either Jesus was terribly mean, or he was just plain foolish. Caleb had been observing quietly and now came to Jesus’ side. “I tried to tell them that all would be well,” said Caleb. Jesus just smiled giving his arm a comforting squeeze.
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J
esus, three disciples, and her parents entered the room where Rina lay. Jesus sat down on the bed taking her small hand in his. In an unwavering voice, he said, “Wake up, little girl!”
The child that had lain pale and motionless shuddered ever so slightly. Then she pulled in a deep breath and sat straight up in bed with no effort at all. Her parents could do nothing but guess that they had fallen asleep and were now living a dream as they saw the rosiness flow back into her face. Then her dull eyes reignited with their old lively sparkle. Taking in the scene around her, Rina spoke her first words of new life. “Jesus!” She squealed, throwing her arms around his neck with no shyness at all. “Is it really you?” Jesus laughed. “It’s really me.” Elizabeth and Jairus rushed to their daughter’s side sobbing with relief and gratitude. “Oh, my girl!” said Jairus. “My life’s joy is back!” Jairus fell at Jesus’ feet and thanked him for the miracle he had done.
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esus and his disciples left the family together. “I met him—I really met him!” said Rina excitedly, clasping her hands together in delight.
questions in her eyes, “I didn’t think you cared for Jesus.” Jairus smiled peacefully, “It was only because Caleb believed that I asked Jesus for help.”
“You did indeed,” said Jairus. “Praise be to God for having heard our prayers! What a joyful day to have you back healthy and alive.”
Rina felt a little jolt at the sound of his name. “Caleb?”
“Dad,” said Rina with so many
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“Yes,” said Jairus, “it was Caleb who got me to bring Jesus to pray for you. And here you stand, a true testament of his miracles!”
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“R
ina...?” Caleb’s hopeful expression burst into a smile. “You’re alive!” With her parents helping on either side, the young girl walked shakily into the living room. She was still in her nightgown. Everyone who had gathered to mourn looked up and stared in
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amazement. No one dared to even breathe—could she truly be standing here before them?! Rina felt the butterflies in her stomach taking flight at the sight of so many people looking at her. “So I hear I was dead,” she
said, trying to be brave. “But Jesus prayed for me, and I am well!” The silence was shattered by shouts of joy. The small home was filled with songs of praise and cheers and laughter about the amazing miracle they had all witnessed.
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ord about Rina’s return to life spread quickly. People from the city flocked to the house all afternoon, to see and meet the “miracle girl.” Everyone wanted to see with their own eyes that she was really alive and breathing. When evening came and the last of the visitors had gone, Elizabeth dropped into a chair. “Just think,” she said in happy exhaustion, “he only had to take your hands, and you stood! So simple and so powerful.”
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“I thought he would at least do some religious ritual... but no!” exclaimed Jairus. “He’s certainly not an ordinary carpenter.” “If it’s okay with you, Dad,...” said Rina smiling sweetly up at her parents, “I believe Jesus truly is the Son of God.” Hugging his daughter, Jairus chuckled his agreement, “And on top of all that—the most amazing Carpenter!”
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Jairus’ Daughter Luke 8:40-54
Everyone had been waiting for Jesus, and when he came back, a crowd was there to welcome him. Just then the man in charge of the Jewish meeting place came and knelt down in front of Jesus. His name was Jairus, and he begged Jesus to come to his home because his twelve-year-old child was dying. She was his only daughter. While Jesus was on his way, people were crowding all around him. In the crowd was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had spent everything she had on doctors, but none of them could make her well. As soon as she came up behind Jesus and barely touched his clothes, her bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.
While Jesus was speaking, someone came from Jairus’ home and said, “Your daughter has died! Why bother the teacher anymore?” When Jesus heard this, he told Jairus, “Don’t worry! Have faith, and your daughter will get well.” Jesus went into the house, but he did not let anyone else go with him, except Peter, John, James, and the girl’s father and mother. Everyone was crying and weeping for the girl. But Jesus said, “The child isn’t dead. She is just asleep.” The people laughed at him because they knew she was dead. Jesus took hold of the girl’s hand and said, “Child, get up!” She came back to life and got right up. Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were surprised, but Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.
While everyone was denying it, Peter said, “Master, people are crowding all around and pushing you from every side.” But Jesus answered, “Someone touched me, because I felt power going out from me.” The woman knew that she could not hide, so she came trembling and knelt down in front of Jesus. She told everyone why she had touched him and that she had been healed right away. Jesus said to the woman, “You are now well because of your faith. May God give you peace!”
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BOOK 2: Jairus’ Daughter
The Miracles of Jesus Come to Life Rina’s spunky smarts and flashing gold eyes can charm just about anyone. Her father is leader of the synagogue, so her life isn’t lacking for comfort. When she wins the attention of the cutest boy in town--Caleb--it seems Rina has everything a girl could want. That is, until sickness takes her prisoner. Then their happy home gets torn apart as her parents realize that no amount will buy a cure for Rina. Yet Caleb refuses to give up. He has watched Jesus the Carpenter heal what no doctor could . . . but can anyone heal the dead?
JAIRUS’ DAUGHTER
A series to bring you up close and personal with the amazing life of Jesus! Experience how the Carpenter healed bodies, minds, and hearts as you take a journey to the very places He walked. Meet for yourself the people that Jesus touched, and witness His amazing miracles right alongside them.
Cecilie Vium Fodor
The Amazing Carpenter Series:
ISBN: 9788771321128 Printer: Specialtrykkeriet Viborg Denmark October 2012 #ID: 2012.10.67
The Amazing Carpenter #2