Jesus - God of dead things

Matthew 9:18-19, 23-26 While He was saying these things to them, a synagogue official came and bowed down before Him, and said, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live." Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples. When Jesus came into the official's house, and saw the flute-players and the crowd in noisy disorder, He said, "Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep." And they began laughing at Him. But when the crowd had been sent out, He entered and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. This news spread throughout all that land.

From a recent forwarded e-mail: During World War II, a US marine was separated from his unit on a Pacific island. The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and the crossfire he had lost touch with his comrades. Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his direction. Scrambling for cover, he found his way up a high ridge to several small caves in the rock. Quickly he crawled inside one of the caves. Although safe for the moment, he realized that once the enemy soldiers looking for him swept up the ridge, they would quickly search all the caves and he would be killed. As he waited, he prayed, "Lord, if it be your will, please protect me. Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you. Amen." After praying, he lay quietly listening to the enemy begin to draw close. He thought, "Well, I guess the Lord isn't going to help me out of this one." Then he saw a spider begin to build a web over the front of his cave. As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him all the while, the spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave. "Hah, he thought. "What I need is a brick wall and what the Lord has sent me is a spider web. God does have a sense of humor." As the enemy drew closer he watched from the darkness of his hideout and could see them searching one cave after another. As they came to his, he got ready to make his last stand. To his amazement, however, after glancing in the direction of his cave, they moved on. Suddenly, he realized that with the spider web over the entrance, his cave looked as if no one had entered for quite a while. "Lord, forgive me," prayed the young man. "I had forgotten that in you a spider's web is stronger than a brick wall."

The Marine had a vision when he entered the Marine Corps that he would be making a big impact on the world, and would save lives. That's what all Marines see in their futures, otherwise the pain of the preparation would be too much. This Marine suddenly saw his dreams dashed. Dead. He was as good as dead.

But God...

The little girl was dead. Everybody knew it. They knew it so well that when Jesus said otherwise, they laughed at Him. So he evicted them. They weren't welcome to watch Him do His work. And Scripture tells us that Jesus took her by the hand... stop there...

In Jewish law, a person was unclean for seven days if they touched a dead person (Num 19:11) and shall be "cut off from his people" (Lev 7:21).

But He touched her. Jesus was willing to touch her because He knew that, although she was surely dead, she would not remain dead. Jesus is a God of touch, and a God of resurrection.

What about you? Do you see yourself as "dead?" Your hopes and dreams. Your future? Your marriage or family? Your "you."

Note a couple of things about this scene. First of all, people were laughing at the audacity. Do people laugh and mock your attempts at life? Do they tell you to be realistic? Do they tell you it can't be done? Then join Jesus' club. Evict them from your decision-making process. Pray to the God of second chances. Ask Him for guidance. Consult His Word. Seek the counsel of people who love and support you - evict the mockers. Feel Him as He reaches out and takes your hand.

Jesus loves "the dead" because He can show His glory in magnificent ways. He's not afraid to "touch" you because He knows a simple touch from the Master's Hand is a touch of resurrection.

Look to Joseph son of Jacob. Look to Sarah and Abraham. Look to Moses, to David, to the disciples, to the Marine in the cave. Look around you.

In each of their lives, God gave them a dream. A huge, life-altering dream. In each of their lives they watched the dream God gave them die. No hope that they could see. In the natural, it was over.

But God...

This girl was nobody special, but the news of her resurrection spread throughout the Land. God was glorified through her death. And He will be glorified through yours. People are watching...

Turn your "death" over to Jesus of the Resurrection and watch what He can do.

God Bless you all, and may God lift you up.

Sue