Life From Death - John 11:1-44
Christians are a resurrection folk. For us, the story gets good the moment they take Jesus off the cross and shut him up inside a tomb. We love this story. What we don’t like is the waiting God’s work requires. We don’t like the silent stretches where we can’t tell if God is finished or if there is still something more on the horizon that we can’t see yet. This is normal. We all feel this way. This is especially true of us in the seasons of life that are marked by doing without or absence. Like Lent.
Our text, this story of Jesus, Lazarus, Martha, and Mary helps us navigate the silent stretches where we can’t tell if God is still working by reminding us that with Jesus, there is always life after death. Read the text and sit with it. You’ll start to see Jesus show himself as the giver and the author of life, not only for the main characters of this story, but for us today as well. At times we feel like the Lord is distant or unconcerned with our immediate needs. We often find it hard to see past the pain. But not Jesus. Jesus seemed late, but he was right on time. “This illness does not lead to death.”
Jesus saw the glory of God and he saw the greater glory that was to come when he himself would walk out of a tomb. Jesus knew that Lazarus’ would live. Martha knew, in her pain, that Jesus could make a way where the seemed to be none. Things seemed hopeless, but Martha believed, and Jesus called his friend out of the darkness.
Beloved, even when things seem dark and hopeless, Jesus can make a way, but we need to see past the pain. We just have to believe that he is never late. We just need to remind ourselves that with Christ, there is always life after death.
Rich Rivera
I St Community
Questions to Ponder:
Why are we so prone to feeling as if the Lord is distant or far away from us?
What are some practices (spiritual disciplines) you can put in place today to help navigate future “silent stretches”?
Why is it so hard for us to see past our present pain and look ahead with joy to the glory that is to come for us in Christ?