Re:Verse passage – Matthew 9:18-19; 23-26 (day three)
“The girl has not died, but is asleep.”
Jesus does not use a euphemism here. As far as we can tell, he does not aim to downplay or dress up death. Jesus talks this way because in the presence of God, death does not possess finality. Jesus raises this girl to life to show everyone who’s looking that this girl’s ultimate future is life again in the body. Now, she would certainly die again in this age, but neither she nor her family would look at death In the same way anymore, because Christ altered what death had the power to do to the human race. For all who count on Christ, death has become sleep for the body, and most of your days are yet to come. That’s exactly the kind of reality everyone longs for, whether or not they’ve ever articulated it.
At age 65, I am quite aware I am most likely in the final quarter of my life on this planet as a human being, and that in a body that is already showing signs of failure and weakness: muscles weakening, tendons becoming more loose, ability to tolerate colder weather (even temps at the lower end of room temperature) growing less each day, and much less ability to rebound from a bad night’s sleep. Fortunately, with that and many more disappointments in life, I am also growing in my interest and sense of urgency to accomplish the one objective every human being should have in life– draw closer to Almighty God. May all of us strive in the year to come to get to KNOW Jesus Christ, not just to know about Him!