The cross above Good Shepherd Chapel

Day

14

Arise

Lent 2020

Read Mark 5:21-43

21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live." 24 And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I will be made well." 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my garments?" 31 And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, 'Who touched me?'" 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease." 35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." 37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, "Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping." 40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, "Talitha cumi," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. 43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

For our Lord, death is nothing more than sleep. Because of Christ, death is nothing more than sleep for us as well. The New Testament repeatedly affirms this, using words referring to sleep to talk about brothers and sisters in Christ who have died. We need to understand this clearly. This does not mean that at death we simply go into some sort of hibernation where we don’t experience anything. God’s Word shows us that upon our death our bodies are laid to rest in the ground while our souls are awake, comforted in the presence of God.

The story of this little girl gives us a picture of our reality through faith in Christ. All who live by faith in the grace of his cross do not have life with Christ interrupted even by death. That life continues in heaven and anticipates Christ’s second coming when he will call out to the grave (the sleeping place for the body) of every believer, “koum” that is “arise.” And just like the little girl, the dead in Christ will immediately rise (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

Prayer

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for making a way through death by your own death and resurrection. Create in my heart a confident hope which clings with joy to the promise of the resurrection. Amen.

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