Some people do not like to wake up early. For them, getting up early is hard. They may have trouble waking up. They might need time and a strong cup of coffee to feel awake. Many people have this problem, and it can feel very hard.
Today, we heard a story from the book of Luke, chapter 7.
In this story, a young man died. People were carrying him in a funeral. Jesus saw his mother was very sad. She was a widow. Jesus felt sorry for her. He walked to the stretcher and talked to the young man: “Young man, I say to you, get up!”
“A great prophet has appeared among us.” — Luke 7:16
The word Jesus used means “wake up.” Jesus thinks the boy is not really dead, just sleeping. When Jesus makes him “wake up,” the boy starts talking. This is sweet and funny. It seems like the boy is a morning person!
The word “awaken” comes up again when the people say, “A great prophet has appeared among us.” They mean, “A great prophet has woken up among us!” This shows they knew someone special, sent by God, was there, even if they didn’t fully understand it yet.
Whether you like mornings or not, there is a simple prayer we can say: “Jesus, please wake me up!” Ask Jesus to help you notice the people and things around you.
Dear Jesus, you made a young man alive again. Can you help me today and make my life and heart strong like you did for him? Please help me to be good and do what you want. Amen.
Think about how Jesus can make you feel more alive. He can help you find new things to be excited about and give you the strength to face new challenges. Just like He woke up the young man, Jesus can help us find new chances, new strengths, and new ideas.