A Girl Raised

35While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” 36But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha cum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” 42And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. 43He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat. (Mark 5:35-43, NRSV)

How deep is your faith?

Do you believe God can do anything? If you said yes, is there anything God can not do?

And if God can do anything, is there anything we shouldn’t take to God? So nothing we bring to God is a bother.

God wants to hear from you and be with you. Nothing is a bother, and everything is possible.

So bring it and allow God to work through it.

How deep is your faith?

A Woman Healed

21When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. 22Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet 23and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” 24So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. 25Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. 26She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” 29Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” 31And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32He looked all around to see who had done it. 33But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” (Mark 5:21-34, NRSV)

How deep is your faith?

This woman who had suffered for 12 years with something doctors couldn’t help knew that if she merely touched the fringe of Jesus cloak she would be healed. There are other examples of people who were healed in the Bible that needed more proof, and prophets who needed more proof that God was calling them. But this woman knew that if she touched just the bottom part of what Jesus was wearing she would be healed. She didn’t think it might happen or could happen, she knew it would happen.

Would you believe this?

The Righteous Way

1Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night.
3They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.
4The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
(Psalm 1, NRSV)

This is the first of 150+ psalms. It is a wonderful way to start the walk through the songs of the Bible.

The version I memorized is Blessed are they who do not walk in the way of the wicked or stand with the sinners or sit with the scoffers.

Do you see the progression? We are walking, then standing, then sitting, a life away from God is not something we just turn to, it is something that slowly happens over time. We need to guard our hearts and follow the way of Christ.

Know that God is always with us, to give us the strength we need to make it through.

This is the way!

Shadow of Your Wings

7How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings. (Psalm 36:7, NRSV)

The love of God is so present it is like we are hidden under the wings of our mother. WHere we are protected from the world by hiding in the shadow of her wing.

Know that God is always there for you, and will give you shelter.

The Everlasting Love of God

15As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field;
16for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more
17But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children,
18to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.
19The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.
20Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, obedient to his spoken word.
21Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will.
22Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul.
(Psalm 103:15-22, NRSV)

We can rest assured that the love of God will never fail or go away.

There is nothing you can do to make God stop loving you.

Flowers fade and grass withers, and friendships fail, but God will never leave you or stop loving you.

The Lord’s Steadfast Love

6The Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed.
7He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.
8The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever.
10He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us.
13As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.
14For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust.
(Psalm 103:6-14, NRSV)

How does the Lord work for vindication and justice?

God works in and through us. We need to advocate for those who can not advocate for themselves. e need to speak out for the widow and the downtrodden.

God will forever be with us when we are speaking for those who can not for themselves.

Share the love God has given to you by helping others.

Share the love because God will give you more!

Bless the Lord, O My Soul

1Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits—
3who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
4who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.
(Psalm 103:1-5, NRSV)

Every time I read this Psalm I think of the camp song.

God does so many wonderful things at camp and for us always. We should always bless the Lord!

So let your soul bless the Lord!

Talk of the Decapolis

14The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. 15They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. 16Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. 17Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. 18As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. 19But Jesus refused, and said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.” 20And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed. (Mark 5:14-20, NRSV)

When the man Jesus healed asked to follow along with Jesus, Jesus told him to go home to his friends, to be back in the community he was removed from. that is what the healing that Jesus gives us gives us. It restores us to our community.

So let Jesus heal you and restore you and go to your friends and tell them all about it.

Jesus Heals an Outcast

They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. 3He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; 4for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. 5Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones. 6When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; 7and he shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8For he had said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11Now there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding; 12and the unclean spirits begged him, “Send us into the swine; let us enter them.” 13So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea. (Mark 5:1-13, NRSV)

Jesus healed the man but wasted all that bacon!

The unclean spirits asked to not be cast away but allowed to enter the swine and when they did, they ran off the bank.

Jesus can and will clean us of all that ails us, and holds us back.

Just ask and follow where Jesus leads us. Have faith and follow. And you will be set free.

The Faithful Women

Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, 2as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources. (Luke 8:1-3, NRSV)

The Bible tells us there were many women who were faithful and followed Jesus and the disciples and helped them and provided for them.

Not just men, but all were faithful to God and following the path set before them.

Are you faithful and will generations talk about your faith?