2 minute read.
Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23 ESV, Luke 8:40-9:6 ESV, Psalm 71:1-24 ESV, Proverbs 12:5-7 ESV
Daily Verse: “And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” (Luke 8:52 ESV)
KATHEUDO (2518): “To lie down, to rest, i.e., to fall asleep. Means to go to sleep and is chiefly used of natural sleep, figuratively of death.”[I]
Jesus wakens.
Jairus, a synagogue ruler, begs Jesus to come home with him and save his twelve-year-old daughter, who lay dying. Arriving at the house, Jesus tells the people to stop weeping.
“But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat.” (Luke 8:54-55 ESV).
Envisioning the astonishment on everyone’s face as the precious child rose and began to eat, I can only imagine their surprise. And then Jesus tells them not to tell anyone, even more, shocking to me. How could you not talk about witnessing someone coming back to life?
Jesus brings life.
Placing faith in Jesus means receiving the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us, helping us along the journey. Releasing our old ways embracing new life in Christ, we find true freedom. Every day we have an opportunity to become more like Jesus. He awakens us to eternity. We will experience physical death on earth, but eternal life with God awaits.
When I think of loved ones who now reside in heaven, I picture them alive and whole, with no physical ailments or troubles, like Jarius’s daughter, awakened to new life. Physical death gives way to spiritual life.
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Phil. 1:21 ESV)
Death has no power with Jesus, overcoming it on the cross. None of us need to fear what the future holds when we place our faith in Jesus.
[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 124) Thomas Nelson
