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March 02, 2005
Raising the Dead in Me...
Last night at Bible study, we were discussing the story of Lazarus dying. For those of you who may be unfamiliar, the gist of it is this:
Mary and Martha, women very dear to Jesus, send word that their brother Lazarus (also a good friend of Jesus’) was sick and dying. Rather than rushing to his friend’s bedside, Jesus stayed put for two days. By the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus is dead. Martha responds as her usual logical self and says she knows her brother will be raised on the day of resurrection. Mary, also true to form, drops to Jesus’ feet in desperation and says flat out “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32).
Reading on, we find out that Jesus goes to the tomb, has the stone rolled away, and calls Lazarus forth. He’s alive.
What I think is interesting is that NO ONE’s response to the situation is recorded. I mean, obviously these women were highly distressed at the death of their brother. When he was alive again, what did they do?
Did they shout for joy that their brother was restored to them?
Were they ashamed that they had been angry at Jesus for not being there?
Did they wonder why Jesus had to let Lazarus die in the first place?
I don’t know if the sisters thought any of these things, but I know I think them when a painful situation comes into my life. Why does God let us suffer? When we think there are so many other ways that he can get glory, why is the hard road still taken?
Wouldn’t have Mary and Martha’s faith been just as stretched and grown if Lazarus had come really, really, really close to dying and then Jesus healed him?
Probably not.
What situations have there been in your life in which you had nothing left to cling to but the knowledge God is good? I mean, come on, Mary and Martha did what they were supposed to. They asked for Jesus’ help. Yet they still had to wait and that involved suffering. When have you called out to God, expecting the pain to end, only to find the circumstances are getting worse and worse?
I find it so interesting that so often we still buy into the lie that a life can be measured by pain or pleasure. How inadequate! Even from a human perspective, some of the individuals who have lived the most admired, most fulfilling lives, have had lives filled with pain.
I hope that I’m not coming across as though I believe we should be overjoyed when pain comes into our lives. I just wonder what our lives will look like when God lets parts of us die. What will my life look like when it is called forth out of the tomb?
These aren't my only ponderings about this story, or the issue of pain, but it'll do for now.
Posted by Autumn at March 2, 2005 10:30 AM