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Week Ending Sunday, January 13, 2019
Depth of Faith
We are a little out of sync so far this year, but we’ll catch up in time for next year. In any case, the liturgy this week could be on the Baptism of Jesus, but we will take that up on the last Sunday of January (see, we’ll catch up). This week we are going to take a little trip in faith. That is to say, we are going to talk about faith. We are not going to talk about faith as in “what is your faith?” Rather we are talking about the depth of faith it takes to be whole, some say, to be well. Last week we discussed the woman who reached out and touched Jesus’ tunic. She had been ill for over twelve years, but she just knew that if she could position herself where she could reach and touch his clothing, she would be made whole. Well, she did, and she was. Jesus told her that her faith had healed her, had made her whole again. Now this story took place in the middle of another storyline. Jairus, a synagogue leader, sought Jesus out because his daughter was deathly ill. He told Jesus that he knew Jesus had only to come visit her and she would be made well. (It was on his way to Jairus’ house that the woman touched his tunic in the marketplace). Here again was a display of faith from a desperate man who was sure that the presence of Jesus in his house would be the healing his family needed and wanted. But alas, the young girl passed away before Jesus got there. Jesus told all who were present that she was merely sleeping not dead whereupon everyone laughed. Not so the parents. Jesus dismissed all but his disciples and the parents, approached the young girl and asked her to arise. She did. She was made whole and well because of the faith filling the rooms of Jairus’ home. That is a brief on the happenings of that day. Can you imagine the fear and awe that filled those present when the young girl awoke and got up? Wow! Who is this man? How can he bring people back from the grave? Why is he able to heal and make whole those who have been in despair for so long and those who are so far gone as to stop breathing altogether? Well, friends, remember we are talking faith here. Not just lip service but a depth of faith that one does not find very often and if they do, they do not talk about it. This is total faith, total giving of one’s total being over to the Caretaker and Creator of life itself. This is believing, knowing, feeling, committing, with one’s whole self in order to be made whole in one’s self and by so doing, setting yourself free from the soiled world that surrounds us. Faith to a level of trust and love so as not to need or long for anything else. Once whole, what else is there? Remember the Word of Jesus, “Your faith has made you whole.” Amen. 
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welcomeGaddis Church is a United Methodist Congregation.
Please explore our website to learn more about us! 141 Hwy 87 | P.O. Box 566
Comfort, Texas 78013 830.995.3813 gaddischurch@gmail.com Sunday Service: 10:00 am Worship Service With Sunday school at 8:30 am Office Hours: Monday - Thursday | 8:00 am - 4:00 pm Friday | 8:00 am - Noon www.gaddischurch.org 
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