13TH JULY
Matthew 9:23-26
“And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, ‘Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went through all that district.”
Never assume that even God can’t change the situation!
Just this week I have heard several stories of people putting their faith in Jesus and being transformed—people nobody would have thought could possibly be converted to faith in Christ. When Jesus told those mourners that the little girl was not dead but sleeping, they thought it was ridiculous to think she could ever wake up. So ridiculous that “they laughed at him.” But when he took her by the hand, “the girl arose” and God was glorified to everyone who heard of it.
Is there someone in your life that you hesitate to talk to about Jesus because it seems impossible that they could ever be open to him, let alone believe in him? God is reminding you today to pray about that relationship with the confidence that he can break through the hardest barriers.
The God who broke through to Saul of Tarsus and the Philippian gaoler, and Zacchaeus the tax collector who cheated everyone, and the Pharisee Nicodemus—that God can reach into the hardest heart and open doors for your witness.
MAKE IT PERSONAL:
Name three people in your world you think are spiritually dead. Why did you pick them? Do you genuinely believe that God can save them?