Happy Tuesday! Jesus is faithful, even when it feels like He isn't. Jesus is the friend that is closer than a brother. He is the only one who won't let us down.
We never see this
more clearly than in John 11, when Jesus raised Lazarus from the
dead. Quick recap: Lazarus had died and was dead for four days,
despite the requests of Mary and Martha to Jesus to come before he
died. Jesus knew that Lazarus was dying and did nothing. Instead, he
waited for Lazarus to die before starting his journey to see Mary,
Martha, and Lazarus.
So, as we read
through the chapter, we find this interesting passage, John 11:38-40.
Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a
stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this
time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”Then
Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see
the glory of God?”
This is after
Lazarus has died and his body decayed for four days. I am sure
everyone has smelled dead skunk on the road. The smell of death and
decay is much worse; it permeates everything. And in the midst of
grieving, Jesus asks a request that is insane. Those that touch the
stone will become unclean. Those that are touched by this smell of
death will become sick to their stomachs, unclean, and unable to
worship at the temple on the Sabbath. No doubt the people argued with
Jesus, and they might even have been a bit passive-aggressive to make
Him feel bad about not being there sooner.
Yet Jesus asks for
faith.
There are times in
our lives where everything seems to be rotten. We think we or a
situation is beyond the reach of God's healing power. We pray and
nothing seems to be done. Then Jesus comes and asks us to open that
tomb where we buried the situation or part of us in. For us, it is
over, but for Jesus, it is a way to glorify God.
Let us live in faith
and obedience no matter when or where we are.
-a brother in Jesus
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