Jesus Resurrects Lazarus
Megan Lambert has just graduated from UoB and is now part of Gas Street Academy working in Student Ministry.
Megan’s favourite story — John 11:38-44
‘Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. ‘Take away the stone,’ he said. ‘But, Lord,’ said Martha, the sister of the dead man, ‘by this time there is a bad odour, for he has been there four days.’ Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.’ When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’
Megan’s reflections —‘The prominent theme in this story is the almighty power of God: it’s an incredible miracle and a beautiful glimpse of the biggest miracle to come - Jesus and his resurrection.
What I love about this story is God’s timing. You can think, like Martha, that possibilities are over, dreams are dead, and there’s nothing that God can do with the circumstances you’re in and YET, in our narrative, three days later he goes to the tomb and resurrects Lazarus.
Sometimes we have dreams and ideas which seem to have evaporated. We’re confused about the future and don’t know what we’re doing next. We might think, ‘Quick, time is running out on me!’ Well no, it’s not running out because Jesus can resurrect someone days after they have died. Nothing is ever ‘dead’ to Jesus. If your dreams and visions are feeling dead, they’re not looking dead to him.’
Tim — In this story we see that there’s always more that Jesus can do and more life that he can bring – we need to wait patiently for his timing, his moving. We also see the beautiful truth that Jesus feels passionately for us in our times of pain and confusion. Before the miracle, before the reawakening, he sits with us in the pain and feels it too.
If you’re in a position where a situation feels ‘done’, the 11th hour has come, you think there’s nothing Jesus will do for you, then hold fast, believe in his love for you: first of all he’s going to sit with you in that pain, and then, at the right moment, he’s going to bring new life, a new awakening. It might be in the way you hoped or it might not be; it could be through something incredibly new and exciting. Trust him and wait.
Prayer — Jesus this situation feels dead. I know that you can resurrect things and I pray that you would do it. Give me patience as I wait. I thank you that you sit here beside me when it hurts. I trust you to do what’s right.