There is a story told of an incident that occurred at the end of the Napoleonic wars. In the dots and dashes of powerful light beams, a message flashed across the English Channel brought the dire news, “Wellington defeated.” The fog was rolling in and that was all the message was visible.

Among other consequences, a disastrous financial panic swept the British Board of Trade. No error or duplicity had been involved in the sending of the news. As actually transmitted it said, “Wellington defeated Napoleon at Waterloo.”

Things were not what they seemed until the fog cleared.

Mark 5 records a series of healings Jesus performed. I want to look at the healing of a young 12-year-old girl, the daughter of a worker in the synagogue.

As Jesus is ministering a man named Jarius approached him in desperation. His 12-year-old daughter is near death. He has come to Jesus, maybe as a last resort we don’t know, but he comes to ask Jesus to heal his daughter.

During the trip, the conversation takes a detour. A woman who has been suffering with another disease for 12 years works through the crowd, touches Jesus and is healed. Jesus at that moment asks who has touched him. The disciples are confused. How can you tell in this crowd? The woman comes forward, Jesus speaks to her and explains that her faith has opened the door for her healing.

At this moment I can’t imagine what Jarius is thinking. Come on Jesus, this woman has been sick for 12 years, what’s another hour. My daughter, my 12-year-old daughter is dying. This woman can wait, my daughter can’t. I was here first. Come on, isn’t this more important. At least that’s what I would be saying. I don’t know if Jarius entertained these types of thoughts. Maybe you would too, or maybe not. But I can’t help but wonder.

After the healing of the woman with a discharge of blood the attention returns to Jarius, but now there is another development. His servant approaches and says don’t bother Jesus now.  Your daughter is dead. He can’t do anything now.

I wonder if Jarius gets angered. Jesus, if you would have come when I asked maybe you could have saved my daughter. But no, you had to deal with this other woman and now my daughter is dead. It’s too late now. We know that was the type of conversation with Jesus, Mary and Martha when Lazarus died. (Luke 11). Jesus if you would have gotten here quicker things wouldn’t have gotten this bad. These people would have been healed, saved.

Jesus chooses to accompany Jarius to his daughter’s side. Upon arrival he sees the crowds in mourning, weeping over the death of this little girl. Now Jesus speaks. Why the commotion. She is not dead, but sleeping. (Verse 39)

The crowds laughed assuming Jesus is clueless. But to Jesus death is no more than sleep. It is not the end. Jesus knows thing are not always what they seem. Jesus knows death is not the final word. Even death is not exempt from Jesus power and ability.

This was a common pattern throughout Scripture, including here in Jesus life on earth. Jews and even the disciples did not see what was happening when Jesus arrived and what He was to do. People tend to see only the very immediate thing in front of them and fail to see what God is doing behind the scenes.

Jesus tells Jarius, do not fear. Even death is no match for Jesus. He sends the crowd away, figuring doubters would be a distraction. Jesus, the girl’s parents, Peter, James and John enter the room where the girl is. He speaks the words, the girls spirit returns, life is restored and she starts walking around. They all knew she was dead and here she is walking around. Things are not always what they seem.

The text says the crowd was amazed. But remember things are not always what they seem. They may be amazed, even intrigued and impressed. But it does not say they believed.

There are many things going on around us and even to us and they are not always what they seem. Miracles were not designed to just show off power, make people happy etc. They were always designed with a purpose, to validate the ministry of Jesus.

Even the grave looked like a defeat but it was not what it seemed. The Emmaus road travelers in Luke 24 were convinced all their hopes were dashed. The disciples were hiding in locked rooms thinking everything they banked on had failed. Even when Jesus told them He was going to Jerusalem to die (and rise again) they totally missed what God was doing.

Things are not always what they seem. Jesus’ death was not a failure but a complete victory over the last enemies of sin and death.

Where are you now? Are you trapped by first impressions and the things right in front of you? Are you willing to see that things are not always what they seem?

Are you dealing with what seems like a silent God? Silence does not mean forgotten or abandoned.

Are you feeling like you’re in a desert? The desert does not mean you are alone.

A trial or heartache does not mean anger or punishment.

None of these things means God is uninvolved or unconcerned. They are exactly what God is using to grow you into becoming more like His Son.

Things are not always what they seem. I wish I could give you a simple answer for why you are going through what you are going through. But I can’t. Sometimes all anyone can tell you is whatever it is, God is working behind the scenes and there is more going on than what you can perceive.

You can know that God knows what is happening, and God cares. God is involved in the process, God sees the big picture, the details we miss, the information we don’t have. God sees where this is all going and it is all going to work out for your good and His glory.

God sees the things we do not see.

I believe it was Tim Keller who said something to the effect of we have to believe that God is big enough to allow you to go through some things you do not understand, but He does.

And you are not going through them alone.

Even the trial itself is not random, meaningless or capricious. We have to believe that there is a purpose behind the pain. And even if we never learn the purpose this side of heaven God knows.

At the end of the day this is a step of faith. For Jarius to approach Jesus was an act of faith, and confidence that Jesus could help. Then for Jarius to return to his home with Jesus was an act of faith. Even when Jesus said she was not dead but sleeping, Jarius held on to that hope and brought Jesus to the lifeless body of his daughter.

Jarius, through an act of faith, learned things are not always what they seem. Even death itself is nothing compared to the incomparable love and power of Jesus. This Jesus who is God and can see the visible, the invisible and sees things as God has designed and planned. Yes, Jesus walked in and showed Jarius how to walk by faith and not just sight.