The Child Lives!

40 Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42 because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years,[c]but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”
47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed.48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”51 When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. 52 Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her.“Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.”
53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” 55 Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.Luke 8:40-55

I went to church this morning, stood in worship, tried to push aside the cares of life. I was trying not to think about the rest of the day, or the rest of the week, or my son starting a developmental preschool program a week from tomorrow. I was trying to worship God. Sometimes that's hard. I always start by forcing myself to focus on God, on how great He is, on how much I love Him. 

How much I love Him.

If you're anything like me, you can usually remind yourself how much you love God, and you can find worship through that, but you don't always remember how much He loves you. Today something extraordinary happened. The worship team began to play, I hardly even remember the specific songs or the words, but they were playing a love song. It wasn't the normal love song, from my heart to God. God was singing a love song to me. Every word cut me straight to the heart. He was taking the time to say 'Hey, I love you too!' 

One line that did stick out to me this morning as the worship team sang was 'You have the last word. It is finished.'

For those of you who don't know, my three year old son doesn't speak. He has said words on occasion, but he will often go a week without saying a single word. It's been a difficult struggle, but throughout it, I've had peace. When they first evaluated him, they said he might be autistic. God told me to rebuke it, and I did. And he is not autistic. All the signs they saw, the red flags, have been gone for months. All that remains is his speech delay. God kept that promise. Next, God told me he will speak. More than that, he will preach! Most recently, God told me he will have an instantaneous healing. He will speak, and it will be miraculous, and no one will be able to say that it was the speech therapy or anything that man did. It will, undeniably, be the hand of God.

"I have the last word. It is finished!" God said to me this morning as I wept in His presence. And I knew at that moment, it is done. Whatever thing I have been battling, praying over my boy every day and every night. It is finished! He hasn't spoke yet, but he will. 

Leaving church, driving home, sitting here writing this post, I feel what I imagine Jairus felt. Think about it for a minute. I don't know how far they had to walk to get to his house, maybe just a few minutes, maybe an hour. But here is this man who has faith. He knows that only Jesus can save his child, so he goes out and pleads, falls at Jesus' feet, it says, and pleads, "Save my child!" And then Jesus stops when the woman touches the hem of his garment, and Jairus waits. He still has faith. And then a servant comes to him and says 'Your daughter died', and Jesus says, 'Don't listen to them. Believe me and she will be healed!' And Jairus waits. 

He still has faith.

So here's this guy, walking home. Someone just told him his child died, but he knows, by faith, his child lives! I think he was walking home with an overwhelming peace, with joy in his heart, because God promised his child would be healed, and that was truth. That was more true than the word of his servant who said she was dead. God's truth was all that mattered. I like to imagine he walked home thinking 'My child lives.' 

And I sit here now saying, 'My child speaks.' God has promised a miracle, and He has told me 'Soon'. I don't know what soon means exactly, and I don't know how it will happen or what it will look like, but in my heart, the when and the how don't matter. My God said 'It is finished. I have the last word!' As of today, I will no longer say my child will speak. I say, by faith, my child speaks! It is finished!

So I'm walking home with Jesus. I don't know how long the walk will be, I don't care what other people tell me along the way, what the teachers or speech therapists say. Most of all, I don't care what the devil says. My child speaks! My heart soars!

I haven't doubted his healing was coming. I've had overwhelming peace, and my heart has been soaring for a few months now. I almost didn't post about my experience today, because God has been speaking these things to me for a while. It was yet another reminder that God is walking home with me to heal my child, and we will be there soon. 

But I decided to share this for two reasons. The first is this: My son will be speaking soon, and when that day comes, I want to share it with the world. I want as many people as possible to know his struggles, so when God moves this mountain, everyone will see what He has done, for His glory! 

The second is this: If God gave you a promise, and others are telling you something different, you aren't alone! They told Jairus his daughter was dead, but he chose to believe Jesus's words, not theirs! Believe the words God has said. Believe the promises He has whispered to your heart. When all the world thinks your crazy for holding on to hope, listen to God! Read your Bible, pray, surround yourself with the body of Christ, the people that will hold up your hope, and reassure you of God's promises. Seek Him! And when His promises are fulfilled, tell the world! Let your story be an example for those still walking home, still waiting to see the promise revealed. 

We have this beautiful story from Luke as an example. If the story just had Jesus tell Jairus his daughter would be healed, and we never saw the outcome, we might wonder if we could trust His promises. But we have countless examples throughout the scripture of God's faithfulness.

54 But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” 55 Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up.

Jesus promised to heal this girl, and He never fails on a promise. Jesus promised my son speech, and He never fails on a promise. Whatever God promised you, walk home like Jairus, knowing Jesus is at your side, walking with you to fulfill His promise. Walk home saying to yourself, 'The child lives!'