Jesus finally arrives. I’m sure Jairus’ wife and the crowd scoffed at his arrival. It seems that Jesus was just a little bit too late for this little girl. He kicks everyone out and hits them with the hard saying on the way out that, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” And they respond in laughter and Jesus presses on. He takes her by the hand and simply calls her to arise. And instantly her spirit returned to her and she got up at once. Her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one. 

So what did Jesus mean she is only asleep and what does this hard saying mean for us? We have to bear in mind that this girl’s resuscitation was only temporary. That one day she will die again. Even after this happy reunion, they would be parted by death again one day. The real hope then in this life is that there will be a day when death is no more and that our bodies are raised into the everlasting presence of God. The question is do we believe and trust God in that? Part of the purpose of this miracle was to prove this to us. What happened to Jairus’ daughter is what happens to every believer in Jesus. As soon as we die, our souls immediately enter into the presence of Christ. Meanwhile, our bodies rest in the ground, waiting for the final resurrection. A resurrection that is so certain that the Bible describes it oftentimes as a kind of sleep. “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Thessalonians 4:14) Death is not the end for those who believe in Jesus. Just like Christ was raised on the third day, we too will be raised one day. We know this by faith. By faith in Jesus, our future is certain we need to not even fear death itself. We live this life with the hope that this world cannot duplicate. We live like those who know that the world is not all that God has for us.