'Talitha Koum!'

“ While Jesus was still speaking, some men came… ‘Your daughter is dead,’ they said. ‘Why bother the teacher anymore?’ ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe.’ When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, ‘Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.’ But they laughed at him…and (He) went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha Koum!’ (which means, ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up!’) Immediately the girl stood up and walked around.” Mark 5:35-43

This passage has such a tender place in my heart for I have witnessed it in both the earthly and spiritual realm. As a teenager my daughter had become dead in her drug addiction. Her spirit in this life had left her but her physical body had remained. She was a dead girl walking as she walked the streets buried alive. We had prayed all of the prayers and had not received her healing. All of our friends and family saw her through tears and mourning as she was buried in her own self-afflicted despair. But God calls things that are dead to life through His spirit. We called on Jesus one more time for His healing touch and He 'followed us to the house.' On one marvelous day He showed us that she was not dead on this earth but would soon wake up. He said to her up in the mountains that day, ‘Talitha Koum!’ and she arose and is still walking around today on earth – Praise God!

The second experience I had with Jesus and His powerful healing was during the passing of my dear sister. She laid in the Hospice House with friends and family in despair around her. As we told her goodbye on earth through tears and grief, Jesus walked into that room of passage and told us, ‘Do not be afraid; just believe…This child is not dead but asleep.’ Then He turned to Beth, took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha Koum!’ and she immediately arose and is walking around in Heaven today with Him who grabbed her hand. She is experiencing in sight what we are experiencing in faith - Praise God!

The difference between the two experiences is a dividing line of passage from one realm to the other. Earth is the land of the dying but Heaven is the land of the living. Each one of us has that precious hand extended to us no matter which side of passage we experience. We are assured that if we are in Him what seems to be death will end in life.

I remember when my grandfather died and Grandmother was doing so well. I asked her how it was that she had so much peace so soon after his passing...I will never forget her response. She said, “Well, Brenda, it is like he just stood up from one side of our Lord’s table and moved to the other.”
‘Talitha Koum!’…and they arose…