The tiniest, most insignificant word can change the perception of and insight into scripture.

Take for instance Mark 5:35-42 (cf Luke 8:49-55) the narrative of Jarius, the leader of the synagogue, coming to Jesus for help because his daughter was dying. While Jarius is making his request, he is told that his daughter is dead and nothing can be done.

Enter Jesus.

This is the point where we all get excited! We know something mind-blowing is going to happen when Jesus arrives on the scene, and of course, the narrative doesn’t disappoint. Among mocking laughter, Jesus raises Jarius’s daughter from the dead.  Who’s laughing now?

This portion of scripture is a wonderful example of how we should trust in Jesus no matter the dire circumstances nor the scoffers surrounding us, but those are not the only mind-blowing, perspective changing lessons to learn here.

Look closely at verse 41 and 42:

“Then [Jesus] took the [girl] by the hand, and said to her, ‘Tabitha cumi,’ which is translated ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise.” Immediately the girl arose and walked[.]”

Look at Jesus’s command to Jarius’s daughter more closely.

Talitha (Tal-ee-tha) means young girl in Aramaic.

Cumi (Coo-mee) is the Aramaic command to rise!

Jesus is literally saying, “Young girl, rise!” Because Jesus doesn’t specify where she is rising from or rising to, we may add the metaphorical (or figurative) interpretation which opens to far-reaching implications.

There are the literal interpretations to rise from the bed, from sleep, or even to rise to a standing position which have many interpretations when read figuratively; however, metaphorically, Jesus is also commanding her to rise from the grasp of death, rise to a new day, rise to new life!

Jesus is holding the girls hand when he commands her to rise. In essence, Jesus is saying “Little girl, get up! Death has no hold on you, for LIFE has your hand!” And she responds immediately. Immediately. She has to! Just as Jesus commanded “Peace, be still” and the water obeyed, Jarius’s daughter had to rise. She had no choice, for when Jesus took her by the hand there was no more room for death. She had to come alive!

When the hand of Life itself touches you, you must come alive!

I have no parents to weep over me, but I can take these words and remind myself exactly Who is by my side and Who holds my hand! I can hear Jesus command me, “Talitha, rise! Death has no hold on you. Where My Spirit is, there is freedom. You are saved by My blood, empowered by my Spirit, and guided and held by My hand – the very hand of Life! Get up!”

That is my command – to rise!

That is your command – to rise!

If death cannot hold us in the ground, it certainly can’t lay claim to us while we are walking in the land of the living.  That means we am more than our circumstances. We am more than our mistakes. We am more than our consequences because the very Breath of Life is not only holding our hands, but is also LIVING in us!

Whoop! Let’s have a Holy Ghost party up in here!

My friend, the life giving hand of Jesus isn’t just for Jarius’s daughter, and it isn’t just for me. Jesus’s life-giving hand is for you!

You are a child of the King of Kings. That means your are a daughter (Talitha) or son (Taley) to the Most High God. Whatever death has laid claim to in your life, let Jesus touch it and then RISE! Stand up! Begin living victoriously in your new life as a child of the King! You can life isn’t directed by your circumstances. Your identity isn’t found in your mistakes. You are not held down by the consequences of bad decisions because the One Who breathes Life is not lonely holding your hand, He is LIVING in you!