Entered Into The Moment
"Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at his feet, saying to Him, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.' When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in His spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, 'Where have you laid him?' They said to him, 'Lord, come and see.' Jesus wept. So the Jews said, 'See how He loved him!' But some of them said, 'Could not He who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?'
Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, 'Take away the stone.' Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to Him, 'Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days. Jesus said to her, 'Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?' So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, 'Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.' When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come out.' The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, 'Unbind him, and let him go.'" John 11:32-44
INSIGHT
Losing someone you love and care about is one of the most challenging experiences we will face. Whether it is a family member, a friend, or even a stranger who passes away, we all feel the weight when life is lost. What gives us hope is that Jesus was more than willing to enter into the pain of humanity.
Lazarus was a friend of Jesus, and unfortunately, Lazarus came down with an illness. Mary went to Jesus because she knew that if anyone could do anything about Lazarus, it was Him. What Mary did not expect when she brought news of Lazarus is that Jesus refused to rush, even though this aspect of His character appears throughout the Gospel stories. Jesus saw something special about the pace He did things. Even though He never rushed, Jesus was always right on time.
Mary felt frustration towards Jesus because Lazarus died a short time after this conversation. Mary knew that Jesus was a healer and could perform miraculous acts. She could not understand why Jesus would allow Lazarus to suffer death, but Jesus had a greater plan. When Jesus made His way to Lazarus and stood before his lifeless body, Jesus already knew He would be bringing Lazarus back to life, and, in the process, show onlookers the glory and goodness of God.
Rather than immediately raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus entered into the moment. Jesus looked upon the grieving crowds and then looked at the opening of His friend's grave. His response was to mourn. Why would the man who was about to raise Lazarus from the dead cry? Why would Jesus enter into this moment with everyone else and feel their hurt and grief?
When I think of this moment, I feel as though Jesus was not just seeing Lazarus. Jesus saw every human being who will ultimately face death, and He wept. Jesus wept because His heart was hurt knowing that people He loved dearly had to deal with such pain.
But Jesus also wanted everyone at that moment, and us today, to know that death no longer holds the final word. Jesus wanted humanity to comprehend that there is a more potent force that has removed death's pain and sting. Even if our physical bodies do not come back from death, our souls will enter the real and perfect relationship with our Father.
The moment Jesus raised Lazarus showed the importance of recognizing God's perfect timing versus our timeline bent on control. God does not give us what we want when we want because He is always working towards a better purpose. God is not calloused to our pain and suffering. Jesus entered in to remind us that Jesus understands what we are going through (Hebrews 4:15).
You and I have an incredible opportunity to step into our call as Christ-followers when we enter into the hurt of someone else. Broken and hurting people going through tough seasons surround us. We model Jesus when we ask to join in and empathize with their suffering. Our care echoes the concern and love Jesus has for them. Jesus touched lives by seeing people and caring for them. Jesus has entrusted us with the ability to do the same.
REFLECTION
Who do you know that is facing some challenging moments that you can enter into and support?
What small act of love can you provide to someone who is hurting?
PRAYER
Father, thank you for coming down to our level to get us. It is a mindblowing reality that You would allow Yourself to feel the worst of humanity so You could understand me completely. Help me to trust in Your timing and trust that You are doing that better work. Help me to have the boldness and love to enter into other people's lives so that they can see You. In Your name, Jesus. Amen.
Port City writer Davy Nance wrote today's devotional.
