DEATH

DEATH

“While He was still speaking, someone came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, "Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacher anymore." Luke 8:50

These words brought to Jairus the crash of doom, a messenger breaking through the crowd from his house, saying: Do not trouble the Teacher; she is gone, she is dead. Faith shaken, love wounded, hope destroyed. Jesus, says Luke, heard the message and straightaway turning to Jairus, said,

"Fear not, only believe, and she shall be made whole."

Made whole? Jairus had heard Jesus say that word a moment or two before to the woman, He had heard Him say,

"Thy faith hath made thee whole;" and now he heard Jesus say to him,

"Only believe, and she shall be made whole."

Then let imagination help us. They went the rest of the journey until the house of Jairus was reached. I do not know how far. Can you travel that distance with Jairus? He went in faith. Faith does not necessarily mean that he went, sure he would get his little child back. His was perhaps longing faith, possibly wavering faith, but cer­tainly hopeful faith. On the rest of the journey he was facing the future with Jesus. They arrived, and our Lord first excluded the curious. If we fill up the story there from the other evangelists, we find that they laughed Him to scorn, but He put them all out.

He said,

"She is not dead, but sleepeth."

Now, she certainly was dead in the sense in which we use the word. He said about Lazarus,

"This sickness is not unto death," but Lazarus died! From Christ's view­point that is not death which we call death. When the spirit has left the body that is not death. Death is a deeper thing than that.

Then, as Luke tells us, He took the hand of the child and, bending over, said to her, Mark gives us His actual words; one of those occasions when He dropped into His mother tongue “Ara-cumi;" which means, Little lamb, arise! Then her spirit returned. Her spirit had never been dead. The essential part of her still lived, when the body was lifeless.

Now, do not miss the last thing in the story.

"He commanded that something be given her to eat." Feed her body while I feed your spirit.

Oh, the beauty of it, the tender touch of it. He knew what she needed. She has resumed the earthly level; now give her something to eat. The phi­losophy of that simple thing is very profound, and far-reaching in its ap­plication. Those who have sanctified humor will grasp it.

Death is no stronger in His presence than disease. And I have faith in that truth. And this account in His journey to earth to save me from death proves that truth. And as my body ages a smile remains on my face.