Luke 8:40–56
40 Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42 because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.
As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.
When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”
46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”
47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”
50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”
51 When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. 52 Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.”
53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” 55 Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.
Jesus Restores
Luke 8:40–56 blends two stories of deep desperation: the healing of the bleeding woman and the restoration of Jairus’s daughter. Both narratives reveal the truth and presence of Jesus. The narratives show how Jesus speaks life into the most hopeless, lifeless areas of our lives, restoring and ‘re-storying’ them.
The bleeding woman had suffered for twelve years, she experienced physical pain, social isolation, and a loss of identity. Under the law, her condition rendered her "unclean," separating her from community and worship. Over time, she may have internalized this rejection and reduced her identity to her illness. She may have forgotten her worth. Yet, in her desperation, she reached out for Jesus, even if only to touch his cloak. Jesus did not just heal her physically—he restored her identity. By re-naming her "daughter", he publicly affirmed her belonging, dignity, and worth. Jesus’ truth spoke to the lifelessness of her isolation, ending her suffering, and breathing life into her shattered sense of self.
Become aware of your posture as you read this devotion. Are you in pain somewhere? Is your body at ease? What do you smell? How does your body feel? How does God’s word sit with you at this moment?
As you experience this, ask God to show you areas in your life where you feel a sense of loss. These could be in your identity, hope, or something else. How is Jesus inviting you to trust him to restore these areas?
As God brings these areas to mind, use this simple breath prayer to surrender them to him, and to re-establish your trust in him:
Inhale: "Jesus, you bring life..."
Exhale: "...and restore all things."
Similarly, Jairus, a synagogue leader, faced the death of his twelve-year-old daughter. In this culture, a child’s death would have been seen as an end, a loss that signifies the ultimate absence of life and hope. The mourners had already begun their grieving process when Jesus arrived. But Jesus spoke into this hopelessness, declaring, "She is not dead but asleep." His words pierced through the finality of death and ushered in the reality of his power over it. When Jesus took the girl’s hand and commanded her to rise, he demonstrated that even death itself bows to his authority. For Jairus and his household, the despair of death was transformed into a moment of life and hope.
Pause again to breathe. Become aware of your posture. Are you in pain somewhere? Is your body at ease? How does your body feel? How does the story of Jairus’ daughter land with you?
When have you felt that a life situation was beyond hope? How did Jesus meet you in that place, or how might he be calling you to believe in his power to bring new life?
As you breathe, simply pray:
Inhale: "Jesus, you bring life..."
Exhale: "...and restore all things."
Both the bleeding woman and Jairus’s daughter show how the lost parts of life—whether it be identity, hope, or even life itself—are not beyond Jesus. Where human solutions fall short, where others may declare an end, Jesus speaks a different word. He brings healing and restoration, inviting us to trust him.
May God's word and truth bring you life in ways you never imagined. As Jesus restored the bleeding woman's identity, calling her 'Daughter' and inviting her to 'Go in peace', may you also go in peace, experiencing Jesus’ restoration with you.
Author Bio
Jenny and Garry Ong are the Co-Lead pastors of
North Point Community Church in Calgary. They also serve co-vocationally as yoga teachers, viewing this as their Holy Spirit-appointed mission field, where the Kingdom advances through Jesus' kindness. They have two boys, enjoy backpacking and travelling the world together.
Luke and Acts taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
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