Come Out!

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” (John 11:21–22, NIV 1984).

My Musings – Although perplexed by why He had not come sooner, Martha had seen what Jesus could do and still held out hope that she could receive her brother Lazarus back from the dead. Hopeful as she was, her greeting does seem to have a bit of an edge to it, as if to say, “you should have come sooner.”

And He could have. “The sisters [Martha and Mary] sent word to Jesus, ‘Lord, the one you love is sick.’ When he heard this, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’ Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.” (John 11:3–6, NIV 1984). Yet it did end in death, or so it seems, because Jesus intentionally tarried. “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I [Jesus] am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.” (John 11:14–15, NIV 1984).

“Glad I was not there” does not seem like words one would say about “the one He [loves].” But that’s the thing about Jesus, things are not always how they seem. “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'” (Isaiah 55:8–9, NIV 1984). He always has a higher purpose.

“‘Where have you laid him?’ he asked. ‘Come and see, Lord,’ they replied. Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out,” (John 11:34, 38, 43-44, NIV 1984). It seems somewhat matter of fact, “the dead man came out” for such amazing miracle. “For he [had] been [dead] four days.” (John 11:39, NIV 1984). Then again, why should we be amazed?

My Advice – “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.” (John 5:28–29, NIV 1984). Let’s make sure that before we “are in [our] graves” that we have made sure we can “rise to live” when we “hear His voice [say] come out!”