In sickness and in death
Nope, this isn't a post about marriage despite the post title. BUT it is about Jesus who loves us in sickness and in death.
Today, I was reading a story the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. A pretty well-known story from the bible (I almost wrote "common" story, but it is anything but common!). But today, I feel like God showed me something new about this passage. So I'll try to start with a brief summary.
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Lazarus is very sick and Mary and Martha send word to Jesus that he is sick.
Jesus says,“This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus." (vs. 5-6)
But then, Jesus surprises everyone and stays where he is. Finally, four days after Lazarus has died, Jesus comes to visit Mary and Martha.
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” (vs 21-27)
Then Mary comes out to see Jesus.
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied. (vs. 32-33)
Then comes is the famous verse "Jesus wept."
The people are confused. Some are moved my Jesus' tears and believe that He deeply loved Lazarus and some question why he didn't keep this sickness from away and heal Lazarus.
Jesus then brings everyone to the grave, prays, and commands Lazarus to come out and out he comes.
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Crazy isn't it? But not for the God of the Universe. God has the power to stop anything. Both Mary and Martha say that to Jesus. They knew Lazarus wouldn't have been sick if He has been there. God does not want his people to suffer. So why do we suffer? Because who we are is so much more than our life on earth. Our present trials and tribulations do not even compare when held in the light of eternity. Jesus wants ultimately for us to believe that He is the resurrection and life. Although he could have healed Lazarus before he was dead, he used Lazarus to show the power that Jesus has. Lazarus was raised from the dead and still died again later like everyone else. But Jesus was raised from the dead and is forever seated at the right hand of God.
But what I noticed today was Mary and Martha's reactions. They knew Jesus could have stopped what they were going through, but once they felt like the "end" came, there was no place for Jesus's miracles. Don't we feel like that sometimes? We spend more time wondering why something is happening to us and why God didn't stop it than realizing that God uses the difficult and sometimes disastrous things that happen to us to really show us his glory. God is outside of our time. When we feel like we're at the end, He reaches no end- ever. He keeps working. Sometimes we think God is just pulling us along or waiting until the last minute, but He has no last minute.
Good thing because in the last few minutes before Jesus died, it seemed like God didn't come. The people mocked him saying, "You saved other people, why can't you save yourself?" God loves us so deeply and he wants us to know without any doubt that we are loved and that we are saved because of Jesus dying on the cross. God uses all things- not necessarily causes all things, the is the God of good things- but uses all things to show that He is the resurrection and the life.
I am then asked the same question that Jesus asked Martha- "Do I believe?"
Today, I was reading a story the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. A pretty well-known story from the bible (I almost wrote "common" story, but it is anything but common!). But today, I feel like God showed me something new about this passage. So I'll try to start with a brief summary.
_________________________________________________________________
Lazarus is very sick and Mary and Martha send word to Jesus that he is sick.
Jesus says,“This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus." (vs. 5-6)
But then, Jesus surprises everyone and stays where he is. Finally, four days after Lazarus has died, Jesus comes to visit Mary and Martha.
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” (vs 21-27)
Then Mary comes out to see Jesus.
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied. (vs. 32-33)
Then comes is the famous verse "Jesus wept."
The people are confused. Some are moved my Jesus' tears and believe that He deeply loved Lazarus and some question why he didn't keep this sickness from away and heal Lazarus.
Jesus then brings everyone to the grave, prays, and commands Lazarus to come out and out he comes.
_________________________________________________________________
Crazy isn't it? But not for the God of the Universe. God has the power to stop anything. Both Mary and Martha say that to Jesus. They knew Lazarus wouldn't have been sick if He has been there. God does not want his people to suffer. So why do we suffer? Because who we are is so much more than our life on earth. Our present trials and tribulations do not even compare when held in the light of eternity. Jesus wants ultimately for us to believe that He is the resurrection and life. Although he could have healed Lazarus before he was dead, he used Lazarus to show the power that Jesus has. Lazarus was raised from the dead and still died again later like everyone else. But Jesus was raised from the dead and is forever seated at the right hand of God.
But what I noticed today was Mary and Martha's reactions. They knew Jesus could have stopped what they were going through, but once they felt like the "end" came, there was no place for Jesus's miracles. Don't we feel like that sometimes? We spend more time wondering why something is happening to us and why God didn't stop it than realizing that God uses the difficult and sometimes disastrous things that happen to us to really show us his glory. God is outside of our time. When we feel like we're at the end, He reaches no end- ever. He keeps working. Sometimes we think God is just pulling us along or waiting until the last minute, but He has no last minute.
Good thing because in the last few minutes before Jesus died, it seemed like God didn't come. The people mocked him saying, "You saved other people, why can't you save yourself?" God loves us so deeply and he wants us to know without any doubt that we are loved and that we are saved because of Jesus dying on the cross. God uses all things- not necessarily causes all things, the is the God of good things- but uses all things to show that He is the resurrection and the life.
I am then asked the same question that Jesus asked Martha- "Do I believe?"
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