What a wealth of meaning and deliverance in those words!
Dear God,
Thank You for sending Your Son to earth so we have the record of Divine love lived and enacted. His profound love and compassion touches us deeply now, and we are moved by the Holy Spirit, to give our sins and heart to Him in love and devotion. We also just need to believe and accept Jesus has all power to deliver us, as He did for the spiritually lost, wandering and suffering people in Judea and surrounding districts back then.
The home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, had provided a quiet retreat for Jesus, as He came apart from His constant works of compassion and teaching. They loved Him, and He them and had accepted Him and teachings, and so they had become friends. Jesus was ever in the service of His Father, on the mission to save as many as possible from sin and death, therefore He did not indulge human inclinations, to rush to the side of Lazarus, at the time of His sickness; Lazarus could not have died if He did.
There was and is a lesion in belief to be taught to all His disciples and followers. John 11: 4 “…’this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’” After 2 days, Jesus proposed to go to Judea, to visit Lazarus, even though the Jews in the area sought to kill him. The disciples did not understand any of His actions over the past few days!
In sorrow Martha met Him, as he approached their place, and demonstrated belief; without total understanding. Jesus blesses all belief and carries it further. Martha believed that her brother would not have died if Jesus had been there and even now said “whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” John 11: 22 Martha thought Jesus was just referring to the resurrection day, when “He said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’” And “Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life; He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” John 11; 23, 25
Lazarus had been dead four days, and Martha was worried about the stench, Jesus had the stone removed, and after a little more teaching, said, “Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth.’” Immediately Lazarus came out, still bound in grave clothes and face cloth. “Jesus said to them, ‘Loose him, and let him go.” John 11:43, 44.
Dear Jesus, please take away any self-focus and unbelief, so that we can truly believe You, and understand, that You alone are the way leading to ‘resurrection and the life”.
Amen