Posted on May 6, 2020
Meeting Jesus at Jairus’ House
A meditation for children and families by Gail Hatch
Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe and you will be well.”
Luke 8:50
Today’s meditation invites you to take a journey through your imagination to the healing of Jairus’ daughter in Luke chapter 8. Everyone taking part should be reminded that we use our imagination in prayer in order to grow in intimacy and understanding of Jesus. As well, everyone is invited to listen and follow along as much as is right for them. If anyone feels unsafe or uncomfortable during the exercise they should stop listening, and bring their attention back to this room.
Gather the Family:
In a comfortable space invite family members to take a deep inhale while you count out loud to four and then slowly exhale while you count out loud to four.
Read the following aloud slowly, with pauses to let the scene take shape in the imagination:
We are going to take an imaginative journey. If it feels safe to you, you may wish to close your eyes and see yourself outside in a familiar place. Look around for a moment, and now see yourself climbing onto the back of a sleek white swan whose wings stretch out as wide as your house. You grasp the silver reigns attached to the gold harness looped around the swan’s strong body and prepare for take-off!
Without a sound you feel her strong wings pulsating up through silky clouds. You fly into the sky’s endless light. The rush of warm air on your face makes you feel alive! With eyes wide open you see many hues of blue streaked with iridescent yellows and purples flashing around you and reflecting off the powerful white wings.
Your swan is on a sure path and in a few magical moments you descend down like a falling star. With flapping wings and trumpet sounds she drops you down gently into an emerald nest. The sweet grassy smells of the Galilee hillside and nearby excited voices surround you. For a brief moment your eyes focus on a lake shimmering in the distance. Turning back to ask the swan where you’ve landed, you realize she has vanished.
The loud voices bring your attention to a boy yelling to his friends with wild expressions on his face. You hear him talking about Jesus, Jarius and someone’s daughter. Mustering up your courage you walk over to the boy to enquire about what has happened. He beckons for you yelling, “Follow me! I’ll take you to Jarius’ house where it all happened!” He races down the hillside jumping over sand colored rocks and rivulets of water and then down a dusty path until you come to another large group of people.
Look around at these people. You can’t help but notice some are crying, some laughing, while others are smiling. A kind-faced woman approaches you and asks, “Have you heard the good news of Jesus’ miracle performed in Jarius’ house today? Would you like to come and see?”
How do you respond to her?
She gently leads you along a stone path lined with colorful wildflowers blowing in the cool breeze. You arrive at a door and she invites you to look in at a family eating and talking together. She smiles at you and explains: “This is the home of Jarius. His daughter is about your age. Do you see her at the table having her breakfast? She looks well, doesn’t she?” You glance again into the light filled room. Can you see this girl’s face? The woman continues to explain, “A few hours ago she had died! Yes, it’s true!”
“For days, she could not eat anything or drink any water. She slept in a stupor and her mother and father could not wake her. They feared she was dying. Yesterday morning her daddy set off to find Jesus. He ran as fast as a cheetah to find him. If you look closely you can see Jesus sitting next to her. He is the younger man with dark eyes and hair laughing out loud as though he’s just heard a good joke! Her daddy is seated on the other side of her smiling over at Jesus because his daughter is alive and eating again!”
“Why did he have to run to find Jesus? Aren’t there doctors around here?” you ask. You have so many questions.
“Let’s sit down by this rock so I can explain. You see Jesus has been healing sick, blind and crippled people all around this land. He performs miracles wherever he goes. We follow him day by day and watch people come to him. Oh, how Jesus loves people. He acts as though he already knows each one of us. He tells the best stories, too!
“So you see that’s why Jarius ran to find Jesus and cry out to him, “Lord, my daughter is dying. Please come home with me and heal her!”
“Jesus promised to go to Jarius’ house so they walked along together with many following them.
“Suddenly someone else ran up with sad and terrible news that Jarius’ daughter had died. By the time Jarius arrived back home with Jesus all of us here were crying and mourning because we knew his daughter was gone. But Jesus shooed all of us out of the way and like a flock of chickens we all scattered.”
“That’s when the miracle happened. Quietly Jesus and his friends walked up the stairs right into the little girl’s room. Let’s go to that room in our mind’s eye. See the little girl’s body laying as still as a stone. Watch as Jesus kneels down on the floor right beside her bed, lifts his hand over her head and with the power of God’s love in his heart cries out,“Little girl, wake up!”
Can you see the look on Jesus’ face at this moment?
“Now watch as the little girl’s head starts to move, then her fingers and toes. See her eyes start to flutter, and watch her face as she looks up at Jesus.
Does he say anything else to her? Does she say anything to him?
Now watch her sit up! See her body energized by the love of God.
Now feel the mood in the house change as Jesus says “Jarius, come and bring your wife to see your daughter who is hungry! Prepare some breakfast for her. We are going to celebrate!”
The girl and her family start down the stairs with much joy, and just before Jesus goes, he turns and looks at you.
See the great love in his face as he looks at you.
Is there anything he wants to say to you?
Is there anything you want to say to him?
Rest here for a moment.
As he goes to join the family for breakfast, you find yourself outside, climbing on to the swan’s back again. As the swan sets her face for your home, and rises up through the air, think about what you want to remember from the experience you have had today.
The swan gently lands, and you’re back in a familiar place. When you’re ready, open your eyes and bring your attention back to this room.
For discussion:
- How does this story make you feel about Jesus?
- What did you learn about Jesus that you didn’t know before?
- How did the little girl feel when she woke up?
- What do you want to remember from this experience?
Close in prayer, thanking Jesus that he loves each one of us and longs to heal us from all our fears.
For follow up, young children may want to color the page on the link below. Others may want to create their own picture or write a play to perform the story of Jesus healing Jarius’ daughter.