Poor Jud is dead, a candle lights
his head.
He’s lookin oh so peaceful and
serene …
He looks like he’s asleep.
It’s a shame that he won’t
keep.
But it’s summer and we’re
runnin out of ice.
Dark humor from the show Oklahoma.
As they try to convince poor Jud how
lovely things would be—if he would just hang himself.
In the paintings of the death of
Jairus’ daughter, she always looks peaceful and serene.
But the family and the servants and
the mourners all knew that she was dead.
It’s only Jesus who claims that
she was merely sleeping.
And the people laugh at him for
saying that.
So was Jesus lying?
Trying to downplay the miracle he
was about to perform?
Actually, she was dead.
But Jesus was about to change that,
and thereby make his statement true.
He was about to make her death only
temporary.
So she was, at least in a figurative
sense, merely sleeping.
Jairus’ daughter was one of three
people we know of who Jesus raised from the dead.
The son of the widow of Nain was
another—raised from his coffin in his funeral procession.
And of course, Lazarus—raised
after three days in the tomb.
All three raisings dramatically
demonstrated Jesus’ supernatural powers.
All three were prompted by Jesus’
compassion for the grieving relatives.
These dearly beloved and departed
people were restored to their families.
They were brought back from death to
continue this interrupted life.
Restored—but only for a time.
Like the ice stored for a frontier
Oklahoma summer, their time was limited.
Nothing of this world lasts forever.
They were destined to die again.
But at a more convenient time, a
less painful time for their families.
There’s a lot we can learn from
these great miracles.
His display of power over nature
should help us believe that Jesus is who he said he was.
His display of compassion should
help us follow his example.
The ability of people to ignore his
miracles should warn us of the fragility of the gift of faith.
We might feel tempted to envy Jairus
and his wife, and the widow of Nain.
And Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and
Mary.
Especially when we lose a loved one
to death.
We might wish that Jesus was here
now to restore our loved one to us.
But there's no need for envy;
he’s provided something even better for us.
Not a mere raising back to this
life.
But resurrection and reunion with
our loved ones into a new eternal life.
A life of true peace and serenity--and joy.
A life that will never melt away.
Just testing.
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