The sound of the garage door opening broke Kathy’s concentration. She glanced at the clock. How could they be home already? A minute later, her quiet home was anything but.

“Hey Mom.” Will and Kyle plodded into the kitchen and started raiding the fridge. Their father entered a moment later.

“Hi Hon.” Bob entered the family room and dropped a kiss on Kathy’s head.

“How was the fishing trip?”

“Pretty good. We snagged a couple of big ones I thought we’d cook up for dinner.”
“If you’ll clean them, I’ll cook them.”

“Sounds like a fair deal. How was your quiet day? Did you get your Bible study planned?”

Kathy sighed. “No. I had such high hopes for today. With you and the boys away, I was sure I’d get a lot accomplished, but I kept getting interrupted.”
            “What happened?”

“I’d just gotten into the groove when Angie called. She’s having some problems with Nathan. It’s not too different from what we went through with Kyle a few years ago. I was able to give her some advice and we prayed together. It was a really nice conversation.”

“That sounds like a good use of your time. What else happened?”

“After hanging up with Angie, I remembered I hadn’t mailed the electric bill, so I went outside for a minute to put it in the mailbox. Then Pam called me over to her yard. Turns out she lost her job, and she’s having a really rough time with it. I talked to her about how we got through it when you were laid off a couple of years ago. She invited me in for coffee and we talked for quite a while. We ended up praying together as well, and she cried and hugged me and told me she wants to start going to church again.”
            “That’s fantastic.”

“It is, but I’m still not ready for my Bible study on Monday.”

Bob settled onto a chair next to Kathy. “Why are you teaching Bible study?”

Kathy’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean? I made a commitment to the church to run the Monday evening Bible study once a month.”

“I understand you made a commitment, but what I want to know is why are you doing it? Not because you promised someone you would. What do you think is the reason for teaching it?”

“I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”
“Please, just answer the question.”

“I’m leading the Bible study because I’m hopeful it will bring the women in the study closer to God. I feel He’s called me to do it.” Kathy threw up her hands. “That’s why I don’t understand. I prayed this morning that God would use me, but I kept getting interrupted.”

“I have one thing to say to you, and then I need to go clean the fish. After you check it out, we’ll talk again.”

“OK…”

“I want you to read the second half of Mark 5. Then tell me what you think.” Bob squeezed her shoulder and exited the room. A moment later, his voice called out “Come on boys! Time to help clean up the fishing gear.”

Kathy found herself alone again in the family room. She paged through the Bible laying on her desk. She read through Mark 5 until she came to the second half of the chapter. Jesus was on his way to heal Jairus’ daughter, but was interrupted by the woman who had a bleeding issue. She walked out to the garage where Bob and the boys were putting away fishing gear.

“OK, I get it.”
            “Get what?” Bob asked.

“You’re telling me it’s OK to be interrupted because even Jesus was interrupted.”
            “Not exactly.”

“Then I need you to explain it to me.”
            Bob lay down the fishing gear. “Jesus was on his way to heal Jairus’s daughter. That was an important task. But this woman interrupted him. He took the time to heal her because she was his daughter and he had compassion for her. Maybe that delay caused Jairus’ daughter to die, but then Jesus was able to bring her back to life and perform an even greater miracle.”

“You are leading the Bible study because you want to draw people closer to God. Today you were able to minister directly to both Angie and Pam. Both of them were ministered to today because you were faithful to listen to God’s voice. Sometimes interruptions can be the most important part of ministry. Always try to follow the opportunities God gives you, even if it’s not what you thought you had planned for the day.”

Kathy hugged Bob. “Thanks. I’m glad my quiet day was interrupted by you. You are my biggest blessing.”

Mark 5: 22-41

Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet.He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

“You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him.

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.

Dear God, please help us order our days according to Your plans for us. We may think we know best, but only You do. Please help us to be open to your leading for our lives. Thank you for surrounding us with people we can minister to. Thank you for the opportunities you give us to be your hands and feet. Please help guide us in the ways we can best serve You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.