WATCHWORD:
11 He said these things, and then announced, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. I’m going to wake him up.” 12-13 The disciples said, “Master, if he’s gone to sleep, he’ll get a good rest and wake up feeling fine.” 14-15 Then Jesus became explicit: “Lazarus died. And I am glad for your sakes that I wasn’t there. You’re about to be given new grounds for believing. Now let’s go to him.” 17-20 When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days dead. Bethany was near Jerusalem, only a couple of miles away, and many of the Jews were visiting Martha and Mary, sympathizing with them over their brother. Martha heard Jesus was coming and went out to meet him. Mary remained in the house.
21-22 Martha said, “Master, if you’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you.” 23 Jesus said, “Your brother will be raised up.” 24 Martha replied, “I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time.” 25-26 “You don’t have to wait for the End. I am, right now, the Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?” 27 “Yes, Master.28 After saying this, she went to her sister Mary and whispered in her ear, “The Teacher is here and is asking for you.” 29-32 The moment she heard that, she jumped up and ran out to him. Mary came to where Jesus was waiting and fell at his feet, saying, “Master, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33-34 When Jesus saw her sobbing and the Jews with her sobbing, a deep anger welled up within him. He said, “Where did you put him?” 34-35 “Master, come and see,” they said. Now Jesus wept. Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” The sister of the dead man, Martha, said, “Master, by this time there’s a stench. He’s been dead four days!” 40 Jesus looked her in the eye. “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”41-42 Then, to the others, “Go ahead, take away the stone.” 43-44 Then he shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And he came out, a cadaver, wrapped from head to toe, and with a kerchief over his face. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him loose.”
45-48 That was a turning point for many of the Jews who were with Mary. They saw what Jesus did, and believed in him. (Selected verses from John 11. The Message.)
Meditation:
If Only You Had Been Here!
Was this a turning point for his disciples? Did it take the raising of a dead Lazarus to life to cause the disciples to believe? After all, they bore witness to calming the sea, healing of lepers, giving sight back to a blind man, feeding of thousands — miracles all. Yet, did it take one more miracle to make the difference?
As you read the above passage do you wonder why Jesus was so angry? Who was he upset with? Mary? Martha? The disciples? The teachers of the law? You? Me? Who? I think it was the sea of disbelief that Jesus found there in Bethany. While both Mary and Martha show a modicum of belief with “Master, if only you have been here, our brother would not have died,” that fragile thread of conviction melted away in the face of the actual death of their brother.
Jesus angry? Or was it disappointment at the lack of trust or belief that He was seeing, among His closest followers? We know that his disciples had urged him to go days before he actually did. His explanation for the delay fell on deaf ears or dull minds. How much like us, blind to the blessings and miracles before our every eyes, that fall all around us, that heals our afflictions and gladdens our hearts.
Would it have made a difference in your belief, had you been there to see Lazarus’ resurrection? To taste the wine that moments before had been water? To have seen the Centurion’s son leaping from his bed? Or tasted the fish and bread on that hillside of Bethsaida? Or would you have heard a nagging little voice of doubt, saying “that was some trick”, “those lepers were not really sick”, “who said he was blind?”
Who among us can understand the fullness of God’s plan, in our lives? Who can sort out the blessings from the curses, the adversities? Who can see beyond the span of our little life-times? Who, indeed.
Laura Story has written blessed prose that forms the lyrics to her song Blessings. Unspoken, within the words, is our question to one another, Are we missing the miracles of Jesus, even as we walk with Him?
Blessings
We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
And all the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things
Cause, what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear. We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your word is not enough
‘Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
‘Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise.
What if…?
Closing Prayer:
An Irish prayer of blessings —
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man
who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone
who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
Amen.
