Esther 1-3; John 11; Psalms 150

“A man named Lazarus was sick.  He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha.  This is the Mary who poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair.  Her brother, Lazarus, was sick.  So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.”  But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death.  No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed were he was for the next two days.  Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”  John 11:1-7 NLT

I sat across from my once joyful daughter who looked like something had died inside her.  I was overtaken with the grief of the moment.  How come you haven’t healed her yet Lord?

“When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled.  “Where have you put him?” he asked them.  Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance.  Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them.  But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days.  The smell will be terrible.” Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” John 11:33-40 NLT

God has been speaking to me through Lazarus.  It’s such a familiar story to me, that I’ve overlooked important things about it.  I never realized the reason that God waited to raise Lazarus was so that he would get the glory.  I also never realized that He got angry over their lack of faith.

This is one of those readings that has been showing up everywhere else.   In a sermon, a blog, a counselor, this post.  I find myself processing and praying about how God wants to use this in my life. I know he wants to spur my faith. A friend reminds me that maybe what God wants to do is much more incredible than my mind can comprehend. That he wants me to see things from a different perspective. When I can’t see what he is doing now, to have the faith to trust him.  It will be no mistake who did it and He will get the glory.

“Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp! Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!” Psalms 150 NLT

Dear Father, thank you that you resurrect old dreams, broken people.  You give me new life again.  You breath hope into the circumstances that seem dead to me. I am grateful for the cross.  Amen.

Amy(amyctanner)

 

 

Advertisement