URC Daily Devotion for 3-12-2025

St Matthew 9: 18 – 26

While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, ‘My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.’  And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples.  Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak,  for she said to herself, ‘If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.’  Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, ‘Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And instantly the woman was made well.  When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute-players and the crowd making a commotion,  he said, ‘Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.  And the report of this spread throughout that district.

Reflection

Jesus meets a father who should be mourning the death of his daughter and preparing her body for burial, but instead has rushed to the Messiah to ask that she be healed out of death.  As he travels there, Jesus meets a midlife woman. Instead of protecting others from being contaminated by her ritual uncleanliness, she is reaching out to Jesus, trusting that she might be healed from an illness that has wasted away her energy and her place in the community. These stories are powerful: people who should have no hope find hope and healing in Jesus. We notice too that Jesus is unafraid to be touched by, or to touch, unclean bodies: those who are bleeding, the dying and the dead. God is not ashamed, or afraid, of sickness or death. 

Jesus does not see our situation as we might see it. He does not see a little girl who has died, but one who is sleeping.  He can, and does, ask her to get up, and returns her to her family. Everyone is amazed, though her father had trusted that this was possible for God. 

Often, I am asked by families of the dying whether I believe that Jesus can raise the dead and heal the dying. I do believe God has absolute power to heal. Sometimes healing is more life, less pain, mental clarity, renewed abilities.  It might also be more ability to find pleasure, find meaning, and take our part as the Holy Spirit prompts us. Sometimes healing comes through death. In times of need we can ask for the healing we long for, and we can ask God to supply the healing that we need, trusting that God sees our situation more clearly than we can and desires what is good for us children.

Prayer

Today we pray with words from the hymn Amazing Grace:

The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.