“But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.  And the report of this spread throughout that district” (Matthew 9:25-26).

The One through whom all things have their being will one day take our hand, perhaps by then nothing but dust, and raise us up to be with Him.  He who created the dust will have no problem completing us in Him.  But never think that the Lord has any obligation to do anything other than what He will do.  In prayer, we ask, by faith that He will do what the Father knows needs to be done.

Lord, I sometimes look to You as some cosmic Santa Claus to give me what I want.  I am saddened by the sin in this world, and I want the fix I want.  But You are God and You know all that needs to happen.  Take my eyes off myself and help me to see that it is in love that You are doing these things.  Of course, You can make life where there is nothing.  Help me to focus upon what You would have me do.

Lord Jesus, who raises the dead, raise up new life in me.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to go into this world in which I live and share the Good News of You, spreading throughout my district the truth that You are the way, truth, and life.  Lead me in Your goodness to simply follow You and do what the Holy Spirit gives me to do.  May I not just be a part of the crowd, but one who truly follows where You lead.  Amen.

“When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him” (Matthew 9:23).

How often do we laugh at Jesus.  We think it preposterous that Jesus is able to do what the Creator of the universe can do.  Perhaps some do not believe He is God in the flesh.  Maybe they still think of God as part fairy tale.  God is God and He will accomplish all that He has spoken.  Note: He presses on despite our doubts, fears, and even laughter.  He will make all things new.

Lord, I have had my doubts, fears, and even emotional outbursts.  I have been childish, going about my business as if it were more important than walking with You.  You have come to give true life to those who will learn to love You.  You do not refuse us, even when we laugh at You.  Take me from the place of being childish to the place where I humbly walk with You all the days of my life.

Lead me, Lord Jesus, in the way You know I need to go.  I have done dishonorable things, but You have had grace upon grace for me.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to know that even when this body gives out, I am not dead, but only sleeping.  On the last day, You will resurrect me.  Lead me into the eternal life that You are giving me today and all the days You have for me in this age.  Amen.

“Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.

What is faith?  Mostly, it is simply trusting that the Lord is Lord and will do what He will do.  Of course, the One through whom all things have their being is able to do whatever He wills.  Do you trust that?  The Lord has a reason for the timing of all things.  He will lead as He leads.  He will guide as He guides.  Take a passenger seat and see that the Lord is the one who is driving the bus.

Lord, I often want You as the co-pilot, and not the One in charge.  That is all wrong.  You know what needs to happen and I do not.  I do not know how my actions will affect what You are doing.  Help me to come to the place that no matter what happens, I will trust You above all things.  Continue to lead me and all of the faithful in the way You know we each need to go.  You alone must be the author and finisher of our faith.

Lord Jesus, You have breathed upon those who believe the truth of the ages through Your Spirit.  Lead me this day to know that I am eternally healed in the faith You have given me.  Guide me to humbly trust You, no matter the circumstances, so that I may walk in Your light all the days You give me.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to see that You alone are my hope.  Thank You, Jesus, for the faith I have.  Amen.

“Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well” (Matthew 9:20-21).

Just being near to Jesus is enough.  It is never a matter of what we do, but about who He is.  This woman reached out in desperation and Jesus was waiting for her.  She went through all she could do until she came to the place where there was only Jesus.  We all must do the same.  We must push through the created to reach the place where there is just the Creator.  This is why it is said, “Look to the Lord and live.”

Lord, have the crowds ever stopped pressing in on You?  I suppose it does not matter.  I do speculate too much.  Sadly, it is often only in desperation that we reach out in faith.  Why not just live in faith and know that we do not need to press in on Jesus because He is always close by.  Why not lean on Him and see that He is carrying you through all this life?  Walk with Him knowing He walks with you.

Lord Jesus, I too have reached out in desperation to just touch you and You turned around and embraced me.  Take me from the place where I live by desperation to the place where I live with You according to Your word.  Lead me in Your goodness to know that in You is the only hope of life.  Lead me today in the healing You have given me and let me see that You are walking with me.  Amen.

“And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples” (Matthew 9:9).

Jesus does what He does regardless of who the person is.  One does not advance in position in the church, for it is simply a matter of becoming increasingly faithful.  Whether one scrubs toilets or leads thousands, all are equally loved by the Lord.  We are His and we belong to Him.  He is God and we are His creation.  We are to get up, go out and walk with Jesus wherever He will take us.  He must lead us all.

You know, Holy Spirit, that in my heart I am often resisting getting up and following where You will lead.  Help me to get over myself and walk where You lead.  You, who has breathed life into my soul, know what is needed.  From the inside out, You know the whole plan and what will come.  Guide me so that I too get up and walk where You lead every moment of each day.

Lord Jesus, much of what You have done and are doing is a mystery to me.  You are God and I am not.  Help me to get over the mystery and in faith just do what You ask me to do.  Lead me now and always to humbly follow You no matter what.  You will work it together for good.  Guide me in the truth of the salvation You have given me, dear Savior Jesus, so that I may willing follow where You lead.  Amen.

“While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live” (Matthew 9:18).

Do you notice the contrast between leaders who want to criticize Jesus in one moment and then  come to Jesus for help in the next?  This is the way it is.  There are those who will never come to Jesus.  There are those who come in desperation.  There are some who come slowly.  We all need what Jesus has to offer, but sadly, it is often desperation that motivates us.

Lord, I too have made strides when motivated by desperation.  I cannot image that this is the way You prefer to do things, but You love us so much that You will do what is necessary for the sheep to come into Your love.  Of course You can heal, but whether You do or do not won’t change who You are or what You can do.  You are the Lord of all lords, and in Your hands is the future of us all

Lord Jesus, You know where I stubbornly cling to my idea of how things ought to be.  Guide me in the goodness You give to walk humbly in Your presence.  Help me to walk with You each day doing what You would have me do.  Lead me according to the principles You have taught me to trust that You can and will do what is needed.  Lay Your hand upon my day and walk with me in the way of Your healing.  Amen.

“No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak, for the patch pulls away from the cloak, and a worse tear is made.  Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved” (Matthew 9:16-17).

Common sense is common sense.  Jesus is telling us that He is giving us something that requires us to be made new.  He will make us new if we co-operate.  What this means is that when you insist on clinging to the old you, you are resisting what Jesus has come to do.  He changed the water into wine.  He will change us to become children of the Heavenly Father.  Jesus is telling the Pharisees what He has come to do.

Lord, You know that I have all kinds of excuses.  On the one hand, I know that You need to make changes in me and on the other, I resist those changes.  Your humor gets to me because as I become older, I am changed whether I like it or not.  Lord, I realize I do need to be completed by You.  Lead me in the way You know I need to go and make me ready to accept whatever You know is going to happen.

Lord Jesus, the old Adam needs to die as I bear my cross.  You are my Savior and You know what I need to become.  Guide me in the way You know I need to go.  Help me to become ready for what You have prepared for both me and all who love You.  In all things, be the author and finisher of my faith, and lead me the way You know I need to be led.  Thank You, Jesus, for all that You have done for our sakes.  Amen.

“And Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15).

Life in this age is to be one part fasting and one part rejoicing.  We fast from the things that keep us away from the true life.  The Lord knows what that is for each one of us.  We celebrate the life we have in Christ knowing that He Who is our Savior will lead us in all of His ways.  We live in today, but also look forward to that day when all things are made new.  Live the life Christ gives you according to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

Lord, You know the immaturity that is mine.  You know those places where I am in need of fasting.  But also, You know where I should celebrate.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to reflect You in my life so that others may see what I do and seek You also.  You are the bridegroom of us all and call for us to follow You to the marriage feast.  Lead me according to Your word to seek You in all Your ways.

Come, Holy Spirit, and go deep into my soul that I may be rid of those things which hinder me from fully putting Christ on.  You know me better than I know myself and You know what You are making of me.  Lead me today through those places where I cling to what is neither good nor helpful.  May my spirit be willing to be led as You guide me throughout this day to do what is pleasing in the Father’s sight.  Amen.

“Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?” (Matthew 9:14)

Jesus just said that He wanted mercy.  Fasting is good and important, but it is a sacrifice.  We need to work through the things we hold on to, but we also need to come to the place where we may fast, but none but the Lord knows.  Rather than outward acts for others to see, we are called to act inwardly where the Lord alone sees, and ask for His true healing to go to the core of our being.

When we are with Jesus, we joyfully celebrate and give Him thanks and praise.  When we feel we are far away, we should give up what is keeping us distant from Jesus.  It is not that Jesus is far away, but that we withdraw.  The Lord is always present.  He said He would be.  The turmoil is in our life.  That is why the Lord told us to seek Him first and then the right things can be put into place.  We do what we do for Jesus’ sake.

Lord Jesus, You have come that I may have life and have it abundantly.  Guide me in the goodness of Your mercy so that I may join in and learn how to be merciful to others.  When I need to fast from the things of the world, lead me to fast.  Help me to always be under Your leadership as You guide me day by day to live into the life for which You made the sacrifice to redeem me.  Amen.

“But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners” (Matthew 9:12-13).

We begin with the need for sacrifice.  Jesus gave Himself for us.  But the Lord desires that we come to the place where we know that we are not getting what we deserve but are living by the grace He gives, which we do not deserve.  From there, rather than thinking that we are being let off the hook, we see that it is the mercy of pure love that is behind all that our Lord is doing.  In simple words, we are invited into the love relationship of Trinity.

Lord, I still want to sit in the driver’s seat.  I want to offer You a sacrifice rather than give in to the truth that You alone are God.  I give You lip-service, but not my submission.  But You already know this.  What can I repent and confess that You did not know before I was born.  Continue to lead me to the place where I am merciful, kind, and abiding in Your steadfast love.  Open my eyes to see my ongoing need.

Great Physician and lover of my soul, bring me to the place of mercy that I may be guided in Your goodness to become merciful as You are merciful.  Thank You for the sacrifice that frees us all to be able to do this.  In the power of Your Spirit, may I continue to shed the old Adam and put You on, Lord Jesus.  Guide me today to be more conformed to Your will through all that I do.  Amen.