Talitha Cumi

When Jesus arrived at the home of Jairus, the room was filled with mourners weeping over the certain death of the 12-year-old girl. He said, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” They laughed at him, not realizing that Jesus had just set into motion an alternative ending to this story. 

Jairus and his wife then lead Jesus to where the girl lay. 

In my mind, the room is quiet, with only her parents’ muffled sobs and the occasional shuffle of Peter, James and John. It’s warm from the afternoon sun yet dim because the curtains are pulled. The 12-year-old’s body is slight but long. Her dark hair is damp from illness, but her mother has lovingly brushed it. Her soft skin has already yellowed.

“Taking her by the hand he said to her, ‘Talitha cumi,’ which means ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise.’ And immediately the girl got up and began walking … and they were overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.” (Mark 5:41-43)

Talitha cumi. This Aramaic phrase is soft and tender, similar to, “Little lamb, wake up.” It’s what one would say to a sleeping child. But this child is not sleeping; she is dead. Yet as tender as the words are, the speaker has all authority of heaven and earth — and the grave. And His words carry supernatural power.

In charging those who were present with telling no one about this miracle, Jesus was protecting the girl and her family as well as time until He too would rise from death to life. 

Paul writes in Ephesians, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Friends, we’ve been asleep. Curled up in the comforts of this world and the false lullabies that it sings to us, we’re dead in our sins until Christ calls to us, “Talitha cumi.”

This tender invitation is in direct contrast with the battle cry that rings throughout the Psalms, calling out to the Lord to rise as Warrior King. And in His goodness, He responds.

“Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.” (Psalm 12:5)

This battle over evil and death is one we couldn’t fight and that He’s already won. He has heard our cries for hope and mercy.

You see, the term arise commands action. Mark tells us the little girl immediately got up and started walking. Her parents’ undoubtedly rejoiced even more over these footsteps than they did her first. She walked into victory and into a life that was touched by the Messiah.

Talitha cumi. We cherish these words at Arize Together, gentle words from the Warrior King calling our beautiful community into life. We celebrate progressive footsteps, transformation of minds, and victories over darkness. We rejoice in the call to arise and the responses that follow.

You see, triumphs rarely occur from couches. They manifest when we respond to the tenderness of Jesus’ love and grace, when our steps follow His, and when the warrior inside of us awakens.

Let’s pray.

Dear Jesus, help us to hear your call to arise and the courage to step into what you have called us to do. Awake the warrior in all of us to shine light into dark places. Be with the women served by Arize Together as they break cycles and crush the strongholds that grip their journeys. Thank you for gathering us here today. Thank you for the volunteers and the organizations that made today possible. Thank you for going before us and answering our cries. Amen.