Blog Post
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
