Dear Jesus,
I do not know how you will receive this letter, but I have faith these words will reach you.
I am writing to you on a very special day. My oldest daughter turns twelve today, the very age at which I encountered you almost two decades ago.
Not wanting her to be late for school, I stood in her doorway and called out, “Talitha koum.” I was flooded with a memory from what felt like a lifetime ago.
I do not recall much from those days, but I do remember hearing the other children play in the streets and longing to join them. I remember coming back into consciousness during a feverish episode and wishing to fall back to sleep because in my dreams I was healthy enough to run and play in the streets. In my dreams, I was the fastest child playing tag, and everyone longed to have me on their team for ball games.
Instead, I was stuck in bed, too fatigued to move. My friends got caught up in the moment and got used to playing without me. Their visits became rare, and I felt like I was battling my health alone.
My parents taught me the importance of prayer, and with my father's role as a synagogue official, I was immersed in scripture and the words of the prophets. My family instilled a great sense of faith with a hope for the Messiah.
Each morning, my father would kiss my brow and promise to pray for me before he made his way to the synagogue while my mother never left my side. She fervently prayed all hours. Day and night she was whispering the promise of a messiah. She was pleading with God to have mercy upon me and mercy upon our family! Together we would recite scripture and cling to the promise that the Messiah was on his way. A Messiah that would heal. A Messiah that would recover my strength so that I would be strong enough to play in the streets with my friends once more.
“Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert” (Isaiah 35:5–6).
For weeks I laid in bed wondering if I would live long enough to meet the Messiah. For weeks my mother and father encouraged me to cling on to hope and have faith that I would one day be healed.
And I tried.
But I was so tired.
The day came when I decided I could no longer hold on. As hard as I tried, I could not keep my eyes open. And so, I closed my eyes, knowing I would never open them again. It was finished.
But you knew it wasn’t finished. My father sought you out in the crowd and you came to my side.
You held my hand and said to me, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”
“Talitha Koum.”
Jesus, my Messiah. Thank you!
Even though you gave strict orders not to, we told the world what you had done. If you could do it for me, you would do it for others! I am honored to have my life be an example of your authority over life and death. I am honored to lead other people to your loving compassion and mercy through my testimony. You have used my story of suffering to encourage others to cling to their faith through difficult times.
Because of what you did for me all those years ago, I have been gifted with so much joy as I raise a little girl of my own. Each morning I say to her, “Talitha Koum” to awaken her from her slumber while you say “Talitha Koum” and awaken her to encounter your love.
With gratitude and love,
The Little Girl
Dear readers, as Leah shared last week in her letter from the Hemorrhaging Woman, this letter is a work of fiction. We do not know how the life of the little girl played out after she encountered the healing touch of Christ.
It can be difficult to understand the timing of our Lord. On His way to heal the little girl, Jesus encountered the hemorrhaging woman you read about last week. In that time, the little girl died. But death is no match for Jesus. In the rising of the little girl, we are able to see His authority over death. Jesus tells Jairus, the father of the little girl, "Do not be afraid, just have faith." (Mark 5:36)
Where is Jesus asking you to not be afraid? Is there a place of suffering that you need to have faith knowing the Messiah will be there with you? Are you ready to let Jesus touch the places in your life that have no life?
You can read the story of the little girl in the Gospel of Mark 5:21-43. And I encourage you to listen to Little Girl, a beautiful reflective song on this story!
Until next time, your sister in Christ,
Abby
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