I was reading over John 11 today – a familiar story to many, where Jesus hears that His friend Lazarus is sick. Instead of going to his aid right away, Jesus and His disciples stayed where they were for another 2 days before making the journey to his home in Bethany. During that time Lazarus died, was buried, and when Jesus arrives on the scene, Lazarus had already been in the grave for four days.
Like so many other stories in Scripture, I wonder “why?”….
Why didn’t Jesus go right away?
Why didn’t He show up – like in a good movie – right before Lazarus breathed his last…changing the ending so he didn’t have to walk through so much pain?
My human mind can’t comprehend the astonishing ways of the Lord and why He does all that He does. But when I reflect on the end of the story, I know His ways are always better than if I had written the script. His ways always draw people to Himself – with greater impact than if things had all panned out the way that we expected them to.
What a great life practice - to keep our expectation reserved for Him alone… even in the face of death.
God does some amazing things, and we would miss out on the supernatural that He has planned ahead of us, if it was all to go down the way we thought was best. I’m so thankful He is sovereign. He is faithful. And He’s proven trustworthy.
Jesus commanded for the stone to be rolled away, against Martha’s protest of the smell. He prayed “Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” (John 11:41-42)
Then the miracle.
Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:43)
Jesus is calling us to new arenas, new ways, new positions to bring glory to the Father.
There’s no stone too large.
No tomb too dark and cold.
No dead part of us that can’t be resurrected for His will.
He calls us to “come” to Him. He looks to use every part of us. Making us more into His likeness, to reach the world around us. To come alive to newness in Him.
“Come Lord Jesus! Resurrect the dead parts of us that aren’t aligned with Your will. Use us all to draw people to know You. To be saved by You. To be changed by You. Amen.”
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