"Little girl, I say to you, get up!"-- Jesus (Mark 5:41)
I remember reading the story of Jairus and his gravely ill daughter a couple years ago when I was in the depths of despair over my current situation. Just before reading it, I remember I was curled up in a fetal position in my bed just crying out to God asking him to let me die because I couldn't face the pain I was suffering. God called me to read His words at random, and I fell upon this story after leafing through my bible. Jairus comes to Jesus asking for help as his daughter's illness is overcoming her. As they are walking back to his house so that Jesus may meet the child, friends and family members are strewn about wailing over the young girl's death which occurred while Jairus was away. Calmly, Jesus says, "Don't be afraid; just believe." (Mark 5:36) Jesus places his hands on the little girl and says, "Talitha koum!" (Mark 5:41) And she rises!
I felt like God was speaking directly to me. I felt like His little girl, curled up in a ball on his lap, falling to pieces. I felt Him stroke my hair, and gently whisper, "Get up. You are going to be alright." Because of these words, I put all my faith in God to bring me through what was killing me inside. Because I knew when it was all said and done, because I believed, I would be raised from the dead.
This was my devotional this morning. I'm not dying from the pain of my situation this time, but I needed this reminder. And just like before, God spoke to me.
I was praying two days ago asking God what he wanted me to do next because "I feel lost in who I am." Those were the words I used when I spoke to him.
Then at church on New Year's Eve (What a fantastic idea to go to church instead of out to party! I was so grateful for this!), shortly into worship, we sang "Made New" by Lincoln Brewster.
"You hold my head up
You remind me who I am."
...And the very next song was the one I heard that brought me to answer the altar call at church when I was 17. The one that moved me to profess my belief that Jesus Christ is my lord and savior.
...And as if that wasn't a clear cut message straight from God, our pastor's wife stood up and prayed an amazing prayer of restoration over the congregation. Within that, she asked God to restore who we are in Him.
...And then this morning, I read, "Talitha koum."
I love how God speaks to me! It's time to believe and to rise up, to remember who I am in Christ, to keep walking with my faith forefront in my life, to remember what is most important to me. (Revisit this blog from last January.)
