While Jesus was saying these things, a leader of the synagogue came to him. He bowed down before Jesus and said, "My daughter has just died. But if you come and lay your hand on her, she will live again...." Jesus continued along with the leader and went into his house. There he saw the funeral musicians and many people crying. Jesus said, "Go away. The girl is not dead, only asleep." But the people laughed at him. After the crowd had been thrown out of the house, Jesus went into the girl's room and took hold of her hand, and she stood up.
By this time in Jesus' ministry, He was already being questioned and shunned by the pharisees and temple officials. This synagogue leader would, no doubt, ordinarily have been reluctant to be associated with Jesus in public -not a good career move. But this was different. He wasn't trying to associate himself. And he wasn't concerned about his reputation or career. He was desperate. His heart was breaking. His daughter had died.
Funny how we so often wait until we have no other options before we turn to Jesus. Amazingly, Jesus responds to brokenhearted, desperate people. We don't have to wait to turn to Jesus. We don't have to be broken and crushed and despairing -but it seems to be our way that as long as we can figure things out on our own and as long as we can muddle through somehow, we are going to try.
This father was out of options. His daughter was dead, and in desperation he came to Jesus asking for the impossible. And Jesus responded with mercy and compassion.
Jesus came to the house where friends and neighbors were already gathered in mourning, and immediately said something so absurd that in the middle of their mourning they laughed -not in joy, in ridicule -mocking. Jesus said the girl wasn't dead, only asleep. These people knew better. They knew death. They could see it. They could smell it. They could feel it in the air. She was dead.
What Jesus said did not make sense, yet He went to the girl's room and took her by the hand and "woke" her up. No matter that the entire world believed and all evidence showed that she was dead, Jesus said she was sleeping and He woke her.
I am reminded of how we often refuse to believe what the Lord tells us simply because it doesn't make sense to us: our sins are forgiven and He remembers them no more; there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus; we are being transformed into the likeness and character of Christ; He loves us with an everlasting love; He will never leave us nor forsake us; He has plans to give us a future and a hope; He calls us friends. Amazing.
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