Listen

A certain man, Lazarus, was ill. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (This was the Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped his feet with her hair. Her brother Lazarus was ill.) So the sisters sent word to Jesus, saying, “Lord, the one whom you love is ill.”

When he heard this, Jesus said, “This illness isn’t fatal. It’s for the glory of God so that God’s Son can be glorified through it.” Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. When he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed where he was. After two days, he said to his disciples, “Let’s return to Judea again.”

John 11:1-7

Think

Think about your friends. Are you the kind of person who makes friends with everyone you meet? Or are you someone who is very picky about who you let get close to you? Maybe you find yourself somewhere between those two extremes.

Wherever you find yourself, this story tells us that Jesus had friends – friends who show up repeatedly in the story. And not only this, but that Jesus loves his friends, too.

God created humans to be connected to one another, and Jesus models this connection in the way that he shows up for Mary and Martha and how he loves Lazarus. And Jesus loves you too!

How might your relationship with God deepen if you were to consider Jesus your own, personal friend? How can you show up as a friend when those you care about are in need?

Dan Miglets-Nelson

Pray

Dear God, help me to be a friend to others today.

Whenever someone asks me for help, position my heart to do all that I can to be helpful.

And give me the courage to reach out for help when I need it too.

Amen.

Go

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