Bob Hartman thinks there would have been some celebration in Jairus’ household
Hello!
We’re having a little party here. Thanks for coming.
That’s my mum, over there. And my dad. Can you guess who that is by the door with His friends?
It’s Jesus!
Why are we having a party?
It’s a long story.
I wasn’t actually ‘around’ for all of it. But from what my dad told me, it goes something this …
I was ill. Really, really ill. It wasn’t very nice.
My parents were very worried about me.
Dad runs the synagogue. It’s the place where we go to pray and learn about God. So my dad did lots of praying for me. But I didn’t get any better.
Then Dad heard that Jesus was in town. He knew Jesus was good at healing people, so he went to find Him. And when he did, Jesus told him that He’d come and see me.
It all looked like it was going to work out. But as Jesus and my dad pushed through the crowd, Jesus suddenly stopped.
‘Somebody touched me,’ He said. Which was kind of strange, thought my dad, seeing as there were people crowding all around Him.
But then Jesus said something about feeling God’s power go out of Him. And sure enough, a lady stepped forward and bowed down before Him.
She said that she’d been sick for years. That she’d spent all her money on doctors. But that she was only healed, right then and there, when she touched Jesus’ robe!
Everybody was happy for the lady. My dad, too. But he was also kind of worried, ’cause Jesus was supposed to be coming to our house to heal me.
He was right to be worried, you see. Because while Jesus was talking to the lady, something pretty sad happened to me, back here at home. I died.
I didn’t know it, at the time. It felt more like falling asleep. But that’s what happened. And that’s what our servants told my dad when they went to meet him in the street.
Dad was sad, so sad. But Jesus said, ”Trust me. Everything is going to be fine.” When they got to our house, there were already loads of people crying over me. I guess that’s nice, in a way.
Jesus also told them not to worry. He said that I was just asleep. They didn’t believe him, though. And some of them even laughed.
Then my mum, and my dad, and Jesus and a couple of His friends came into my room. Jesus held my hand. And that’s when I heard these words.
”Get up, little girl.”
And do you know what? It did feel like somebody was asking me to get up, first thing in the morning, after a long sleep.
So that’s what I did. I got up.
And, just like that, my mum was crying big happy tears. And my dad was hugging me. And Jesus and His friends were smiling really big smiles.
Then Jesus said that mum should get me something to eat.I guess He figured that coming back to life can make you really hungry!
Well that little meal sort of turned into this great big party. So no one’s crying anymore. They’re having a great time.
And no one’s hungry anymore. Not even me. And, best of all, I’m not dead anymore!
So I’m going to leave you now. And go say “Thank-you”, one more time, to Jesus.
