We use the word “IF” more often than we realize. IF we do this, then this will happen. That’s how our brains work in this world. IF we plan for the event, then all will go well. IF we do the work, the project will be completed. IF we parent well, then our kids grow up acceptable to society. IF we save for a rainy day, we will be able to handle unexpected expenses. IF we exercise, we will be heathy. IF we eat the right foods we will live long. IF we rely on all the right people, our lives will be better. IF we do this today, there will be less trouble tomorrow. The list goes on and on. (There’s even a song that was written by Bread called “IF”!)
We do not have the ability to plan for what God only knows. We think we have our lives under control, working diligently to cover our bases for all the “ifs” of this life—until life happens to force us to realize we do not. “In this world, you will have trouble,” Jesus warns, but in the same breath adds this assurance, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Do we believe this?
Mary and Martha are grieving the death of their brother. When Lazareth was sick, the sisters sent for Jesus, the Healer. Done and done. Jesus, instead, responded to the plan of His Father and lingered where He was before coming to them. He was immediately met with an IF of blame from his beloved friends. “IF you’d been here…” Ouch, that had to hurt. Did Jesus weep because of it? Did anger rise up within Him because of this attitude of disappointment with distain thrown in by his friends and the other mourners hired to do their weeping gig?
We don’t know for sure, but the ladies were walking over the faith line with evil accusations. IF you had done what we asked, when we asked it, death would not have happened. (Yikes!) Their response was softened somewhat by “we know who you are as God’s Son.” But then followed with we know God will do what YOU ask, so get to it! Why didn’t you do what we asked…IF you had been here…
Do we do that to God, in Jesus Name? IF we are honest, we say this to each other as well as to God who knows all, is in all, and is in control of all. Our human sin nature blames all those around us when we are frustrated by our circumstances. We blame others’ actions, God’s lack of response in our time according to our estimation, and then we blame ourselves. But we need to realize that no one flies under the radar of God’s knowing. Not one situation of trauma escapes His notice. Jesus, God’s Son, knows everything comes from God, and can be used by God for His glory—so that we might believe!
THIS is one of those times—
John 11, The Message
The Death of Lazarus
11 1-3 A man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. This was the same Mary who massaged the Lord’s feet with aromatic oils and then wiped them with her hair. It was her brother Lazarus who was sick. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Master, the one you love so very much is sick.”
4 When Jesus got the message, he said, “This sickness is not fatal. It will become an occasion to show God’s glory by glorifying God’s Son.”
5-7 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, but oddly, when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed on where he was for two more days. After the two days, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”
8 They said, “Rabbi, you can’t do that. The Jews are out to kill you, and you’re going back?”
9-10 Jesus replied, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in daylight doesn’t stumble because there’s plenty of light from the sun. Walking at night, he might very well stumble because he can’t see where he’s going.”
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.” Jesus was talking about death, while his disciples thought he was talking about taking a nap.
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.”
16 That’s when Thomas, the one called the Twin, said to his companions, “Come along. We might as well die with 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, 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. All along I have believed that you are the Messiah, the Son of God who comes into the world.”
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. Jesus had not yet entered the town but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When her sympathizing Jewish friends saw Mary run off, they followed her, thinking she was on her way to the tomb to weep there. 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.
36 The Jews said, “Look how deeply he loved him.”
37 Others among them said, “Well, if he loved him so much, why didn’t he do something to keep him from dying? After all, he opened the eyes of a blind man.”
38-39 Then Jesus, the anger again welling up within him, arrived at the tomb. It was a simple cave in the hillside with a slab of stone laid against it. 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.”
They removed the stone. Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, “Father, I’m grateful that you have listened to me. I know you always do listen, but on account of this crowd standing here I’ve spoken so that they might believe that you sent me.”
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. But some went back to the Pharisees and told on Jesus.
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
What we do know as followers of Jesus is:
IF we believe, we have an ever-present help. God knows exactly the kind of help we need.
IF we believe, what is beyond our thinking happens in ways that turn bad to good and show us the glory of God.
IF we believe, we readily see God’s glory at work every day.
IF we believe, we hear God’s voice over all other voices in this world.
IF we believe, truly believe Jesus died for our sins then rose from death as the Victor as Truth—eternal life is ours! We have Hope and a Future!
As we grow and mature in our love, our trust and faith in God is “unwrapped”! Our IF’s are replaced by “Solid Rock when’s”—
When God speaks, we respond with obedience.
When God provides, we respond with grateful hearts.
When God shows His glory, we fall to our knees in pure praise!
When trouble comes, we turn immediately to God. We avoid what if’s and the blame game.
When needs arise, we call on God in Jesus Name with confidence. We know He hears and answers with want HE knows is best for us because God is FOR us not against us!
Rely on God’s Word when temptations to blame rise up within us. Read and reread Paul’s blessed assurances of Jesus, who is Truth, Love and Life forever for all who believe.
“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31-39, NLT
NOT. ONE. THING.
Lord,
Thank you for opening my eyes and ears to the things I think and say that hurts you. I repent of the days of thinking the world has power over me when you who lives in me is greater still than the darkness of this world in which we live. Our journey here is relatively brief compared with the glory we will share forever with you Someday. Thank you for giving Life to me! Thank you for removing my sins as far as the east is from the west. Thank you for assurances for today that bolster my confidence as I truly believe, trust, and respond to your leading. You ARE for me, not against me. Thank you!
In Jesus Name, Amen
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 