Walk to Emmaus

 

That picture is  of me and Jesus! :)

Last night was one of  6 team meetings for the WALK TO EMMAUS that Terry is the Lay Director for , on the week-end of Sept.7th-10th. The picture I put on today reminds me of how I feel when I go to the meetings and being part of a Walk to Emmaus. I feel like Jarius' daughter (in the stained glass photo I made while at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery) today. WHY? Because  I am sometimes "dead" spiritually , but after going to the meetings or to church or just being with Christian friends, Jesus reaches out and touches me again and I am ALIVE, once again. Like the song Natalie and Natalie (Yes, TWO Natalies sing at SonDay Live!) sang on Sunday, "I'm ALIVE! I'm ALIVE!" I love singing those verses! We should all sing that song all day long! We're alive---alive in Christ! And I feel that way after Sunday's sermon/music and last night's meeting. Hearing talks and just being a part of the fellowship of Christ's church touches me so deeply that I'm overwhelmed by His goodness and His grace. One reason I love the Emmaus Community so much is that we're not all the same denomination but we're all a part of the BODY OF CHRIST. I get PUMPED up just hearing other people's stories. Their joys/their journeys and , yes, their struggles. We've all had those times. The joyful times when we want to scream from the mountain tops how blessed we are, and then the valley times. When we almost want to crawl back under the covers and hide. It's encouraging and uplifting to be a part of a community of believers who are there to help you when you've fallen down or to sing alongside you when you just want to PRAISE Him!

I love the story of Jarius' daughter. Jarius himself was a leader of the synagogue and he came to Jesus and fell down at his feet and begged Jesus to come and heal his daughter who was near death. His daughter was 12 years old. Imagine if your 12 year old were dying. He was desperate and nothing but the touch of Jesus would save her and desparate times call for desparate measures!. Jesus immediately started going to Jarius' house but was sidetracked when a woman out of the crowd came and touched the hem of his garment. He felt it......"WHO TOUCHED ME?" he demanded. And you know the story, the woman was instantly healed b/c of her belief. It seemed as if the woman sidetracked Jesus from going to Jarius' house. I can only imagine Jarius was freaking out!!!! I would be! His problem seemed greater---his daughter was dying! In fact, she died while Jesus was talking to the woman whose hand had touched his robe and was healed. Someone came and even told Jesus not to bother going to the house of Jairus, that the girl had already died. But this guy obviously didn't know Jesus! Jesus comforted Jairus even before he went to the house by saying, "Don't be afriad. Just BELIEVE and your daughter will be well". They went to the house and people were obviously screaming with sadness over the death of this young, precious girl. Jesus took Peter, John , James and the girl's father and mother in with him and they were crying and wailing and Jesus told them, "STOP CRYING. She is not dead, only asleep". Can you imagine what everyone did? They saw she wasn't breathing and  saw that she was cold and that her heart was not beating nor was any breath coming from her nose or mouth and yet this MAN came out of nowhere and said she was just asleep. I would love to have been outside Jairus' house when that child stood up and they heard the screams of joy inside that house! JUST IMAGINE!!!!!!!!! I loved that Jesus told them to give her something to eat. That proved she was indeed alive and needed nourishment from the hood of death that had been over her. I imagine everyone around was handing her grapes and bread and water and amazed that she was eating and laughing and ALIVE. I'm ALIVE! I'm ALIVE! Imagine the way this young girl spent the rest of HER life. Imagine the stories she told her children. Her grandchildren. And even on her death bed, she knew, as she left this world  (for the 2nd time!) she was still going to be ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(scripture from Luke8:40-56-)