活兩次的女孩
馬可福音五章21至24節，35至43節
21耶穌坐船又渡到那邊去，就有許多人到他那裡聚集；他正在海邊上。
22有一個管會堂的人，名叫睚魯，來見耶穌，就俯伏在他腳前，
23再三的求他，說：我的小女兒快要死了，求你去按手在他身上，使他痊愈，得以活了。
24耶穌就和他同去。有許多人跟隨擁擠他。
35還說話的時候，有人從管會堂的家裡來，說：你的女兒死了，何必還勞動先生呢？
36耶穌聽見所說的話，就對管會堂的說：不要怕，只要信！
37於是帶著彼得、雅各、和雅各的兄弟約翰同去，不許別人跟隨他。
38他們來到管會堂的家裡；耶穌看見那裡亂嚷，並有人大大的哭泣哀號，
39進到裡面，就對他們說：為甚麼亂嚷哭泣呢？孩子不是死了，是睡著了。
40他們就嗤笑耶穌。耶穌把他們都攆出去，就帶著孩子的父母，和跟隨的人進了孩子所在的地方，
41就拉著孩子的手，對他說：大利大，古米！繙出來就是說：閨女，我吩咐你起來！
42那閨女立時起來走。他們就大大的驚奇；閨女已經十二歲了。
43耶穌切切的囑咐他們，不要叫人知道這事，又吩咐給他東西吃。
信息分享
耶穌隨著睚魯回家的路上，三番四次地遭到延誤。背後突然有人拉扯睚魯的衣袖，原來是他的僕人前來報信，說他的女兒已經死了。這個消息聽在睚魯耳中，簡直是晴天霹靂！但耶穌立即安慰他說：「不要怕，只要信！」
於是，他們一行人趕到睚魯的家。當耶穌對眾人說女孩不是死去，她只是睡著了，他們都嗤笑起來。然而，信徒離世，其實就真如睡著了一般：他在這邊睡著了，立即就在另一邊醒來，張開眼睛便看見救主的面容。
這並非如某些人所教導的「靈睡」。反之，我們只是身體睡著了，要等到將來復活；但我們的靈魂卻一直存活清醒，並立即與基督同在。
主耶穌來到女孩面前，向她說話。有趣的是，耶穌曾經使三個人從死裡復活，而每次都是用祂的聲音把他們喚醒。那名女孩立即醒過來，並起來行走。當耶穌呼喚人的時候，連死去的人都懂得立即回應。
死在罪中的人，不論他死去多久，對耶穌來說都是沒有分別的。當耶穌向他說話的時候，新的生命便臨到他的身上。我們今天需要更多像睚魯的信徒，他願意不辭勞苦地跑去找耶穌，求祂趕去拯救那些活在死亡邊緣的人。
禱告：
主啊，求你今天使用我，使我成為你施福的器皿。
THE GIRL WHO LIVED TWICE
Mark 5: 21 - 24, 35 - 43
21 Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea.
22 And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet
23 and begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.”
24 So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.
35 While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”
36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”
37 And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.
38 Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly.
39 When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.”
40 And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying.
41 Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”
42 Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement.
43 But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.
Message
There were several delays along the way as Jesus went with Jairus. Suddenly there was a tug at Jairus' sleeve. One of his servants was there to tell him that his daughter had died. What heartbreak that must have meant to Jairus. But Jesus said, 'Don't be afraid, just trust me'.
So they came to the house. When Jesus said the little girl was only asleep, everyone laughed at him. But when a Christian dies it is very much like going to sleep here and awakening immediately on the other side, the looking into the face of our Saviour.
This is not 'soul-sleep' as some teach. It is only the body that is asleep until the resurrection. The soul is alive and conscious and in the presence of Christ.
Our Lord spoke to the girl who was dead. It is interesting that one each of the three occasions that Jesus raised someone from the dead, it was by his voice. The girl stood up and walked immediately. Even the dead have to respond when Jesus calls.
It doesn't make any difference how long a person has been dead in sin. When Jesus speaks, new life comes to them immediately. Today we need more people like Jairus - people who believe in Christ and who are willing to go out of their way to bring Christ to those who need him.
A PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord, make me a channel of blessing today!