Personal Encounter with Jesus

I sat in the pew and listened to Dr. Sauer teach on a passage from Matthew – A Dead Girl and A Sick Woman (Matthew 9:18-26). I was familiar with the Scripture, but that morning, our interim pastor pushed through the words, looking deeper, and allowed me to see something I hadn’t seen before.
In this passage, a ruler visited Jesus because his daughter had died. “But come and put your hand on her, and she will live,” was his plea.

Jesus got up and went with him. On the way, he healed a woman who had been bleeding for many years. But then Jesus pressed on and entered the ruler’s home, where the flutes were already playing and the mourners were already mourning.

Jesus spoke to the crowd, telling them that the girl wasn’t dead, she was just asleep. Then he went inside, took her by the hand, and restored her life.

This is where Dr. Sauer unpacked the message: Jesus went inside and took her by the hand. The girl had a personal encounter with Jesus.

The power and truth made my heart beat faster.

Jesus was Lord. Miracle Maker. Fully man but fully God. He could’ve spoken a word and the girl would’ve lived again. He didn’t have to travel to the ruler’s home, work through the crowd, make that personal visit.

But He did.

And the life application brings hope.

If Jesus made made that effort to give that girl a personal, hands-on encounter, why wouldn’t He be that personal with my children today? He knows their needs. He knows their hearts and struggles and conditions and lives. And He knows just where they are.

Dr. Sauer gave me, that morning, insight and a new way to pray for my boys.

Father, let my boys have personal encounters with your Son. With Jesus.