"Taking the child’s hand, He said tenderly to her, 'Talitha kum!'—which translated [from Aramaic] means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” The little girl immediately got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they who witnessed the child’s resurrection were overcome with great wonder and utter amazement."—Mark 5:41-42, Amplified
Even before His own history-changing story, Jesus seemed to be about resurrecting things and situations, and little children and even one of His best earthly friends. “I have come that they might have life…” is more than a Gospel proclamation, it is what seemed to actually happen every time Jesus walked onto the scene.
But something else is happening in this story. Where there is death, and darkness, and a seemingly hopeless situation, Jesus, in so many words, tells the atmosphere to leave. He sends the mourning friends who are focused on the negative out the door, and fills the void with the incomparable goodness of Himself…
"When You walk into the room, everything changes
Darkness starts to tremble at the hope that You bring…
When You walk into the room, sickness starts to vanish
And every hopeless situation ceases to exist…"
More than a beautiful story of hope in a hopeless situation, Jesus’ raising of Jairus’ daughter gives insight—with fanfare accompaniment—into how we should pray about and how we should look at and speak to the dark situations of our own life and the world around us.
It seems to be an unfair indictment when others think our faith is more about what we are against than what we are for. After all, in our minds and hearts, we genuinely see and believe Jesus to be nothing but “yes and amen.” But sometimes, our prayer circles and social media postings and water cooler conversations can prove their point….
Not long ago, I was in a room where much good and fervent prayer was going on. Kingdom-bringing stuff. On earth as it is in heaven. But then, the momentum seemed to halt and I sensed an unexplained heaviness. There was much earnest praying against some prominent strongholds and evil things in our community, so maybe that explained it…until as I was listening to it continue, and even wanting to pile on with my own against-it agreement, there was this sense deep within:
“It’s good to come against what is dark and evil, but don’t forget to ask Me to fill the void. Remember, when I come into a person or situation, Love covers a multitude of sins.”
Last night, I was again in a room where much good and fervent Kingdom-bringing, on-earth-as-it-is-heaven prayer was going on. The fervency was not loud but the weight was tangible. And as before, there was much earnest praying against some prominent strongholds and evil things in the community and in people's lives. But then one person, and then another, turned the tables: “Jesus, we know You are the answer to what seems impossible, so we welcome You to come and do what only You can do and be.”
And Jairus’ daughter was raised again, so to speak. Because in the worship that followed, even in an atmosphere where homelessness and addiction were as real as your breath on a cold morning, resurrection hope was everywhere. Seemingly impossible prayers were being answered. Broken bodies (and hearts) were being healed. Joy began to overwhelm sadness and loneliness.
“It seems to me," writes author Max Lucado, "that the prayers of the Bible can be distilled into one. The result is a simple, easy-to-remember, pocket-sized prayer: Father, you are good. I need help. They need help. Thank you. In Jesus' name, amen. Let this prayer punctuate your day.”
So be it, Lord, this Sunday morning and all the days to come this week.
"When You walk into the room, the dead begin to rise
There’s resurrection life in all You do…"
- words and music by Brian and Katie Torwalt
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