Listen

Jesus began to cry. The Jews said, “See how much he loved him!” But some of them said, “He healed the eyes of the man born blind. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?”

Jesus was deeply disturbed again when he came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone covered the entrance. Jesus said, “Remove the stone.”

Martha, the sister of the dead man, said, “Lord, the smell will be awful! He’s been dead four days.”

Jesus replied, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you will see God’s glory?” So they removed the stone. Jesus looked up and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. I know you always hear me. I say this for the benefit of the crowd standing here so that they will believe that you sent me.” Having said this, Jesus shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his feet bound and his hands tied, and his face covered with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.”

Therefore, many of the Jews who came with Mary and saw what Jesus did believed in him.

John 11:35-45

Think

Jesus loved Lazarus. Jesus, fully God and fully human, wept at the death of his friend. Seeing this, the crowd questions Jesus’s ability. They doubt what God is about to do. They think that the dead man will stink. It has been too long. Nothing can be done.

Jesus shows them, and us, that nothing is beyond the power of God.

Whatever rot, stench, decay, or even passing of time is not outside of God’s healing power.

Jesus knows us, and loves us.

Jesus calls us friends.

And Jesus has the power to call us back from the dead… To roll back the stone walls we build for ourselves, and to loosen the bindings that keep us in place.

Jesus is calling us to new life.

Jesus is raising us from the dead.

And using our own victories over the grave, Jesus is helping others to believe.

Dan Miglets-Nelson

Pray

Dear Jesus, help me to believe.

Help me to find you as a comfort in whatever death I am experiencing.

Help me to trust that you are calling me back to new life.

And help me to love those who doubt your work in me.

Amen.

Go

Live today as a follower of Jesus, trusting in the promises of God.