Talitha Koum

When I was a little girl, I was in need of healing and saving. I needed physical healing and saving, but more than that, I needed spiritual healing. Jesus came to me and raised me to life. He brought me up out of darkness and into His light, and He gave me life, not just temporary life, but eternal. 

There is a story in the Bible where Jesus does something similar. It is in Mark 5, and I’d love to share it with you.

Mark 5: 21-24 says, “When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around Him while He was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at His feet. He pleaded earnestly with Him, ‘My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.’ So Jesus went with him.” 

Later, Mark 5:35-43 says, “While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. ‘Your daughter is dead,’ they said. ‘Why bother the teacher anymore?’ Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe.’ He did not let anyone follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 

When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, ‘Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.’ But they laughed at Him. 

After He put them all out, He took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with Him and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha koum!’ (which means ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up!’). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this, they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.”

When Jairus came to Jesus and told Him about his daughter and asked Him to heal her, Jesus went with him. Jesus had immediate compassion for Jairus and his daughter.

In this story, we are not told a lot of details about the little girl’s sickness, but it is bad enough that she is dying. We know that based on Jairus’ asking Jesus to heal his daughter and based on Jesus’ response, Jesus has the power to heal someone who is dying. But even after the girl dies, Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” 

Jesus’ power can defeat death itself. There is nothing that is too difficult for Him, no one who is too far gone to restore, both physically and spiritually. 

By the time Jesus arrives, Jairus’ daughter has already died. But Jesus asks, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” Even after death has taken place, Jesus has the authority and power to save. 

Jesus takes her by the hand and says to her, “Talitha Koum!” which means little girl, I say to you, get up. A few things caught my attention in this passage. Jesus took the little girl by her hand, and He held her hand. Jesus’ touch has power, comfort, and healing.

Not only does He grab her hand, but He speaks life over her. The power in the phrase “Little girl, I say to you, get up” is not in the phrase itself, but in the one who says it. The meaning is, “Little girl, I say to you, get up.” “I say to you.” If any other person had said it, it wouldn’t have had the same power. But because Jesus said it, those words had the power to raise her from the dead. 

When I was a little girl living through sexual abuse and feeling like my life was really death, Jesus came to me. He took me by the hand, and He spoke life over me. Jesus gave me spiritual life, raised me from the dead, and made me new.

The only person who could have raised me up this way is Jesus. When others thought it was impossible for a girl like me to get up and live, Jesus made a way. From the outside, people would have already mourned over me and said their goodbyes, condemning me to darkness and death because of the sickness that was around me. But Jesus grabbed my hand and told me to get up. Praise God that no one is too dead for God to raise. 

Not only was there death and sickness in my life because of the abuse being done to me, but the worst death and sickness in my life was my own sin. The thing I truly needed to be saved from, even more than the abuse, was my own sin.

 Jesus gave me spiritual life as a child by making me a new person and saving me from the wrath I deserved because of the sins I committed against Him. He covered my sins and paid for them with His own death. Later on in my life, physical life and healing were given to me and He saved me from the circumstances that caused me to live in abuse.

When I was a teenager, that is when Jesus said to me, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” That is when He physically saved me from the death I had been living through and began to heal me. He told me it was time to stop living my life “asleep” and to wake up and live!

Talitha Koum are the words that Jesus used to save me out of a meaningless and hopeless life. His desire for me was so much more than the life I used to live. He wanted me to have a full life, a life of freedom and joy. He wanted me to live a life marked by Him and His words. This is the same life that He desires for you.

God calls us to get up and live in a lot of areas of life. But the most significant area is in our spiritual lives. As I mentioned before, no one is too far gone for Jesus. His power can conquer anything, even death. It doesn’t matter how sinful you have been and how undeserving you are, God can save you and raise you to life spiritually. 

It would be an insult to God for us to think we are too sinful and that Jesus’ blood couldn’t cover us. Jesus didn’t die a horrible, gruesome death for nothing. He died such a death because of the nature of the heinous sin He was dying for. Your sin isn’t so bad that you cannot be forgiven and told to “get up!”

I have referenced something a few times and I want to make sure that if you don’t know what I am talking about, you can know! This sacrifice that Jesus made, this death He died, the blood that covered my sins–if you haven’t heard of that story, it’s called the Gospel (which means Good News). This story can be found in the Bible, in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. You can look this up online, or send me a message through the Contact page if you want! I would love to answer any questions and help you understand better:)

My hope in sharing this story with you is that it can be an encouragement and an inspiration for you. Jesus raised a little girl to life a couple thousand years ago, but He still does that today. He did that in my life and He can do it in yours. Our lives are meant to be lived with eagerness and excitement, and that is what Jesus brings. He provides life, healing, and comfort, but more than that, He brings freedom, fun, and purpose. What area of your life needs to be changed? How do you need to “get up” and live? I hope you ask yourself those questions, and I hope you allow God to bring you true life. Thanks for showing up,

-Elena ❤