Good Morning Friends,
David’s grief over Absalom mirrors God’s sorrow over human sin. Our failure brings heartbreak, and true restoration requires sacrifice—ultimately fulfilled in Christ’s death on the tree. With that in mind, today’s scriptures invite us to look beyond the death of a son to the healing of two daughters, asking: Does Your Request Of The King Reveal Your Trust In The Father’s Love?
Scripture: 2 Samuel 18:9–10, 14b, 24–25a, 30—19:3,Mark 5:21–43,Matthew 16:18, and2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13–15
Message: These passages above reveal why Jesus came as Messiah and how we join His work today. In Mark’s Gospel, three people seek Jesus, but their stories point to something larger. Jairus pleads for his dying 12‑year‑old daughter, while a woman—unclean and suffering for 12 years—reaches for Jesus in secret. Both come in desperation. Both come in faith. Jairus, a synagogue leader, sets aside pride and opposition to Jesus. He approaches humbly, earnestly, and expectantly. The woman, isolated and ashamed, believes that even touching Jesus’ cloak is enough. And it is. Instead of becoming unclean, Jesus makes her whole. Then He raises Jairus’ daughter, calling her “daughter” as well. These healings reveal the heart of God for Israel and for the world—Jesus restoring, recreating, and pointing toward the cross, resurrection, and the birth of His Church. His word to them is His word to us: Do not fear; only believe.They call us to trust that Christ meets us in our deepest need and restores what seems beyond repair.They remind us that the Church is built not on human strength but on the living presence of Jesus.They challenge us to embody Christ’s generosity, sharing our resources, our compassion, and our lives so that others may experience His abundance.
And So, we all long to be made whole, yet too often settle for what the world offers. Faith not only receives grace—it becomes a channel of grace. Christian giving and service flow from Christ’s own self-giving, His poverty that made us rich. Before Christ we were spiritually bankrupt, but now we share in His abundance. Those Jesus raised would die again, but because He rose, we proclaim the resurrection and the life of the world to come.
Pray that we understand why Jesus walked this earth. Pray that we approach Him with humility, persistence, and expectation. Pray that we recognize our need for new life and trust the transforming touch of faith. Pray that disappointment becomes an appointment with Christ. Pray that we hold fast to hope, reconciliation, repentance, and belief. Pray that we remember Christ’s sacrificial exchange and give out of love, not obligation. Pray that we share our blessings freely and joyfully. Pray that we know Jesus is in our midst and yield to His healing. Pray that we live boldly as people strengthened by Christ and shaped by His generosity.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 