God allows suffering in the lives of His children to reveal His higher purposes and His greater glory. Each new trial that we face in our lives (and we will most assuredly have them) is another opportunity for further growth in our walk of faith. "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen" (2 Corinthians 4:18a). Jesus showed up in Bethany after Lazarus was already dead, and after he had been buried far too long for there to be any possibility that anyone would believe he could be resurrected. He purposed this to open the eyes of the watching crowd to the wonder and power of God. He was leading them to a new level of faith which would be necessary to carry them through the time of His own death and resurrection.
God alone is the giver of life, and only God can raise the dead. With this miracle Jesus would submit the final piece of evidence to prove that He was indeed the Son of God sent into the world. He knew that when He began His journey back to to Judea He would be initiating the events that would take Him all the way to the cross and to the fulfillment of the work He came to do. Jesus wanted to instill in His followers a solid rock foundation of faith that would become the bedrock truth of Christianity (reference 1 Corinthians 15:14, 17). "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).
When Jesus was born into the world, Mary and Joseph brought Him into the temple to be circumcised. There, a devout and righteous man named Simeon spoke to them, saying, "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed" (Luke 2:34, 35a). Jesus Christ is the foundation that the church is built upon (reference 1 Corinthians 3:11); a solid rock foundation that would be to some a highway leading into the presence and power of God, and to others a stumbling block over which they would fall (reference 1 Peter 2:7,8). "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame" (1 Peter 2:6).
" 'See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua.
There are seven eyes on that one stone,
and I will engrave an inscription on it,'
says the LORD Almighty, 'and I will remove the sin
of this land in a single day.' "
(Zechariah 3:9)
Jesus stood in the presence of the people and commanded the stone be rolled away, "Take away the stone" (John 11:39a). The veil was about to be removed from their eyes. But one more objection was raised by Martha. How much her interference represents so many of us, as we stand in the way of God with all our doubts and fears of what God can truly do in those seemingly impossible moments of life. "But, Lord...by this time there is a bad odor..." (v.39b). If only we could look through the eyes of faith and see what the Lord intends to do - to replace the stench of sin and death in our life with the sweet fragrance of eternal life. "For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life" (2 Corinthians 2:15-16). Jesus had come to put to death once and for all that horrible stench that was polluting our life, but we have become so accustomed to the smell that we have become desensitized to the death and corruption around us. How much our Lord wants to open our eyes to a renewed vision of the glory of God. Will we accept His tender rebuke to Martha as our own: "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" (John 11:40).
Dear Christian, when we try to look at the trials of this life through the lens of human understanding we find ourselves barely able to tread water in a sea of despair; life can be so overwhelming. However, when we submit to the plans of God and allow Him to use the pain and suffering of this life to prick our hearts and open us up to our great need of Him, our eyes will be opened to His power and we will be blessed with a renewed vision of the glory of God. O, how He wants to astound us with wonder upon wonder if we would only let Him (reference Isaiah 29:14)! This morning, as we enter our prayer closets and draw near to our Savior, let us take a few moments to reflect on what brought on this great miracle of Lazarus' being raised from death to life - prayer! Beloved, our Lord lifted His eyes to heaven, and looked past the grave, to the One who had given Him power to resurrect the dead, and He praised Him! Jesus offered up a prayer of praise to the Father for the finished work which would be revealed to the crowd that had gathered. Let us be encouraged when we pray that the miracles of God are birthed in prayer. It is the golden key He has placed into our hands. Let us offer up our prayer of praise for the clear vision we have been given that allows us to see His glory in the midst of all the death and decay.
"Give thanks to the LORD,
call on His name;
make known among the nations what He has done,
and proclaim that His name is exalted.
Sing to the LORD,
for He has done glorious things;
let this be known to all the world.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,
for great is the Holy One of Israel among you."
(Isaiah 12:4-6)
"Yet I am always with You;
You hold me with Your counsel,
and afterward You take me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but You?
And earth has nothing I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
Those who are far from You will perish;
You destroy all who are unfaithful to You.
But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all Your deeds."
(Psalm 73:23-28)
"Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.
Praise be His glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with His glory.
Amen and Amen."
(Psalm 72:18-19)
In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
