Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days."
~ John 11:39 (NKJV)
I don't know about you, but I have the audacity to invite God to step in and bring life to a situation, and then hesitate and draw back when things get messy. I have the tendency to decide the situation isn't worth this much trouble and say, "Never mind, Lord."
If God numbers the hair on our head and watches over every sparrow (Luke 12:6-7), then what situation is too small for Him? On the other hand, how far gone is a situation before God won't repair it?
And the Lord said ... "Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you ..."
~ Genesis 18:13-14 (NKJV)
Lazarus was only dead four days. When Jesus was crucified and resurrected, "many" people who had been in their graves for certainly longer were also raised (Matthew 27:51-53). And a day lies in the future when all the dry bones of all the saints in all the earth will be raised alive (Ezekiel 37:1-10).
The fact that things get messy or we must wait for God's appointed time or is no reason to say, "Never mind, Lord." We need only believe, and then wait for the impossible.
Jesus said to [Martha], "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"
~ John 11:40 (NKJV)
Our Creator, thank You for taking delight to bring life, light, and love wherever You are invited. Please help us in our unbelief and our impatience. Please increase our faith and longsuffering.
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If I remember correctly from my New Testament class in college, Jewish philosophers of Jesus' day believe that the spirit hung around the body for three days after death. Thus, when Jesus waits before going to see Lazarus, He's setting up a really big miracle. Had He left when the news first came, Lazarus would have only been "mostly dead." By waiting, Jesus let Lazarus become "all dead" so it would be a truly amazing miracle.
ReplyDeleteThought that was super cool.
~Luke
Luke, I've also heard that reasoning, and it makes perfect sense. I'm glad you brought it up. It highlights the whole impossiblity of the resurrection, whether of Jesus or of us. And on some level, I think it must be easier bring flesh and breath to dry bones than living waters to a hardened heart. However impossible resurrection, after any length of time, it is miraculous indeed that God makes us a new creation when we are born again by the blood of Jesus and His Holy Spirit.
ReplyDelete...and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
ReplyDeletetwo things came to mind when i read this. heaven must have suddenly became "very" populated versus before. but to think they went first into the holy city and appeared to many....that had to spook/influence a lot of people as well.
You are right. Sometimes the waiting is difficult, especially when it is hard to see the "why" in the circumstances. I've been there ~ the "never mind" attitude. May we wait patiently and expectantly for Him to complete His work.
ReplyDeleteYou always give me much to ponder, and I appreciate that.
ReplyDeleteYes Father, increase my faith.
ReplyDelete"Lord, by this time there is a stench"
ReplyDeleteAnne, I find I am especially prone to postpone a request for God's help when the situation involves my own sin. I know how ugly it is and how bad it stinks...so I put off inviting Him in, thinking I first need to clean up the mess.
It doesn't work, though! Only He can clean up the stinky mess of sin, and only He can breathe new life into our hearts.
I'm learning to invite first and ask for His cleansing!
Thanks for the great post!
Bud, I never thought about Heaven becoming suddenly populated. Since Jesus told the story of a poor man laying in the bosom of Abraham after he died, I thought of them both being in Paradise. But perhaps that thief on the cross was among the first one to see Paradise, with a crowd released from another place of death. I'll have to think on this one.
ReplyDelete...been thinking about what i said and your thoughts on this, Anne. something came to me yesterday. i think Watchman Nee said in his book "Thy Kingdom Come" (book of Matthew) that he thought that those mentioned as being "dead in Lord" were those saints who died during Jesus's ministry. those who had either met Him personally or believed in Him by the disciples teaching. again, i'm not sure that Nee said this but that's what's rumbling around in my head. it makes more sense to me, now that i think about it. feel sorry for those that don't believe Jesus has come already.
DeleteSusan, I'm likewise grateful to hear that I give you much to ponder. It is my prayer that in your ponderings, you are drawn ever closer to our precious Lord.
ReplyDeleteAmen, Denise. Thank You, Father!
ReplyDeleteJoe, it's like trying to clean a garbage dump, I think. I love the patience of our Father, who waits for us to realize how much we need Him to clean what we never could. I wonder if He smiles at His silly children or shakes His head. I'd guess it's a bit of both. Yes, we need to invite Him in to clean, so that He and we both can enjoy the premises—together.
ReplyDeletePatty, I'm not innocent of begging why. But I am more guilty of pleading "when." I wish I had as much trust (and PATIENCE!) in His timing as I trust in His why's.
ReplyDelete