Never lose hope in Jesus
Mark 5:35-42
While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”
But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.” Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn’t let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and John (the brother of James). When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing. He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.”
The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed.
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In Mark 5, a very powerful man came to Jesus on behalf of his dead daughter. There seemed to be no hope, but the man was desperate and he had faith that Jesus could perform a miracle against all odds. I’ve never had the literal experience of asking God to raise a loved one from the dead, but I have had the experience of asking God to save a very dear friend who was so dead spiritually that there seemed to be no hope. She had been like a sister to me from 9th grade through college, but it seemed that nothing I said could bring her back to a life with God. It hurt me badly to see her so far from God and so miserable. It got to the point where I knew that all I could do was love her because God loved her and pray that God would speak to her heart. I prayed for three years and finally she decided on her own that she needed God. Even when hope was lost and she was dead spiritually, God heard my cry for help on behalf of a friend.
That concludes our devotional for today. Let us finish with a word of prayer.
WORD OF PRAYER
Dear Jesus, Thank You for hearing my prayers on behalf of my friends and loved ones. Thank You for honoring my faith when all hope seems lost, just as You honored the faith of the powerful ruler in Mark 5. I know there will be times when I feel You don’t hear me, but I will stay faithful to Your Word and pray for those that I love. You are a faithful God who hears my cry, and for that I thank You.
In the name of Jesus, amen.