Little Girl, Get Up!

A big crowd was waiting for Jesus by the lake. Suddenly a man pushed through the people and fell down at Jesus’ feet. His name was Jairus, and he was an important leader at the synagogue. But that day he was not thinking about being important. He was thinking about his little girl.

“My little daughter is very sick,” he begged. “She is dying. Please come and put Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live!”

Jesus went with him right away. But the crowd was so big that they could hardly move. On the way, a woman who had been sick for twelve long years touched Jesus’ cloak and was healed. Jesus stopped to speak with her, and Jairus waited, and waited.

While Jesus was still talking, some men came running from Jairus’ house. Their faces were sad. “Your daughter has died,” they said. “Why trouble the Teacher any more?”

Jairus’ heart broke. But Jesus turned to him and said:

“Don’t be afraid, only believe.”

Mark 5:36

At the house, people were crying and wailing. “Why all this noise and crying?” Jesus asked. “The child is not dead. She is sleeping.” Some of them laughed at Him. So Jesus sent everyone outside, except the girl’s father and mother and three of His disciples, Peter, James and John.

The room was quiet now. Jesus went to the bed, took the little girl by the hand and said, “Talitha koum!” That means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”

And at once, the twelve year old girl got up and began to walk around!

Her mother and father could hardly believe their eyes. They hugged her and laughed and cried for joy. And Jesus, who thinks of everything, told them, “Give her something to eat.”

Jairus had come to Jesus with a broken heart. He went home with his little girl in his arms. When everyone else said there was no hope left, Jesus said, “Only believe.”