Pray | God, with a grateful heart I thank you that you are the giver and source of restoration of life.
Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell the story of a synagogue leader coming to plead for his young daughter’s life, and in each account it’s proclaimed that her life is over. A father is desperate, there is wailing and mourning, hope has ended. But in all three gospels Jesus takes the girl by the hand and life is restored.
Read |Matthew 9:18-19, 23-26; Mark 5:35-42
Matthew 9:18-19, 23-26
While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.
When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. News of this spread through all that region.
Mark 5:35-42
While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jarius, 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.
Reflect | Spend some time reflecting on the following:
Have you ever heard someone say, or even thought to yourself, “Why bother, there’s no hope for her.” Or something along the lines of “He’s so far off track, don’t waste your breath.” How often might we deem a life over, that there’s no coming back from something. Do we push through the voices around us to get in front of Jesus and earnestly plead for a life? Do believe he is the one who can change it all?
Jesus didn’t turn away when the crowd declared the daughter dead and the woman unclean. He went toward them. They were both dead to their community, but he took one by the hand and she came to life and the other he healed. We may not always see an immediate turnaround in a life, or the healing we craved, but we can take heart at the words of Jesus, to not be afraid; to still believe.
Is there someone coming to mind for which you could earnestly plead to Jesus for life to be restored? It’s possible they’re not dead, but asleep. Bring them before the giver of life.