We all have bad days. Days filled with sorrow, depression, anxiety. Days which we can’t wait for them to be over . Occasional bad days are just part of the nature of living and we move on, right?
However, there are circumstances in life that deem to overwhelm us (stay with me, this post isn’t depressing it tells about receiving life not staying in death). Overwhelming occurs because the circumstances don’t change even after a good nights sleep. The job environment remains crappy. The marital stress hovers at the dinner table. The savings account goes down instead of up. What gives?
How can we overcome that dead feeling of separation from all things that bring joy?
Ask Jesus into your life!
Jesus actually brought three people back to life. They were dead—not breathing—the world was over and done with them. But Jesus wasn’t. Jesus loved them enough to bring them back to life.
The first person Jesus raised was a widow’s son in the town of Nain.
Luke 7:11-15 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
The second person was the twelve-year-old daughter of Jairus, a Galilee synagogue leader.
Mark 5:35-36 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
Jesus then went to Jairus’ house. After putting out all those who laughed at Jesus’ authority, Jesus then brought the girl back to life.
Mark 5:41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”).
Perhaps we need to remove all the nay-sayers from our “dead” situation, just like Jesus did. It was only the believers who got to experience Tabatha get up and walk around.
The third person Jesus raised from the dead was His friend Lazarus.
This was a more personal resurrection, being he was also brother to Mary and Martha. When Martha went to greet Jesus at His coming to see Lazarus, Jesus explained that He alone has power over life and death.
John 11:25-28 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.”
Martha was a believer in Jesus. And certainly, anyone who has power to create life can surly restore it! It was after being lead to the tomb where Lazarus body lay dead, Jesus began to speak out life.
John 11:39-44 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Notice the difference in timing of when Jesus brought back each body to life. For Jairus’ daughter, it was just hours after she died that Jesus returned her to life. In fact she still lay in the bed that she had died.
For the widow’s son, his body was being carried out of town in his casket, soon to be buried. So it is likely he was proclaimed dead for a day.
For Lazarus, he had been dead and already buried for four days. Jewish tradition says the soul leaves the body after three days. So by the fourth day, it was inconceivable to the Jews that a dead body could return to life after that amount of time had passed.
But what hope does the rising of these three bodies offer Christians? It means if Jesus can restore breath and a heartbeat to a body, no matter how long it lay dead, He can also restore a healthy attitude towards a “dead” job. He can mend a “dead” marriage and make it loving again. He can also take charge of dying finances!
Invite Him in and trust His sovereignty.
Ask Jesus to lead you. Give Him full authority over your heart so that you can hear Him when He speaks. So that you understand His plan for you and allow Him to “rebirth you” if you will. Enjoy a fresh start in life through Jesus!.
Just like the widow’s son, Jairus’ daughter, and Lazarus, each were given a new life to live for Jesus.
We all have days which we can’t wait for them to be over. But, if right now you are overwhelmed with a certain type of death, remember Jesus can always give you new life!
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