WATCHWORD:
38 Then they came to the tomb. It was a cave with a heavy stone rolled across its door. 39 “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, said, “By now the smell will be terrible, for he has been dead four days.” 40 “But didn’t I tell you that you will see a wonderful miracle from God if you believe?” Jesus asked her. 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 (You always hear me, of course, but I said it because of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.)”
43 Then he shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And Lazarus came—bound up in the grave clothes, his face muffled in a head swath. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!” John 11:38-44
Meditation:
Unwrap Yourself
Have you ever thought about the familiar story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead to new life, as a parable, a teaching moment for His disciples and for us? We marvel at this event in the life of Jesus, mere days before this trial, crucifixion, and subsequent resurrection.
In a recent Our Daily Bread, author Kimya Loder makes this observation: “Just as Jesus raised Lazarus from death to life, He offers us new life through Him. By sacrificing His life on the cross, Christ paid the penalty for our sins and offers us forgiveness when we accept His gift of grace. We are freed from the bondage for our sins, renewed by His everlasting love, and given the opportunity to change the course of our lives.”
I once facilitated a workshop on the subject of re-dedicating our lives, and I used the story of Jesus raising Lazarus as part of that gathering. I placed particular emphasis on the final sentence of that passage where Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go free.”
Too often we read this story, this passage of scripture, and maybe we fail to see the symbolism, and literally consider what Jesus said. When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we consider this a change of life, we left the dark-side and embraced the light. We shed the grave clothes of our old life.
I don’t know how you made that transition, I only know that when I went through that “born again” experience I discovered, later, that I was bringing baggage along from that old life. Old habits, old grave clothes, that I could not free myself from, that dragged me down, back into that dark side. That is to say, I could not do that on my own. It was only when I acknowledged my failures and turned those over to the Lord, with serious intent, that I could truly begin my new life in Christ.
Maybe you found the same thing to be true. In candid moments with friends, I often hear stories similar to what I experienced. Dedication to Christ takes some time to shed the dark side of the old, ditch the grave clothes, in favor of the bright light of the new. Time with God, so critical in keeping the light shining. But it is more than that. It’s enjoying the joy. Let the tears of peace flow. Sing the happy song of praise. It’s a new life! Alleluia! Amen.
Prayer:
Lord, I believe, but help with my unbelief! Help my head and my heart and my soul to believe in you and trust in you fully, without a doubt, knowing that in you all things are possible. Lord, strengthen my faith! Amen.
