Which Future Do you Want?

In John 11, word comes to Jesus that his good friend Lazarus is sick. If you know the story, Jesus waited and didn't go right away. Not until Lazarus had been dead for a few days did He arrive.

When the Lord arrived at Bethany He asked to be taken to Lazarus' tomb where we find the shortest verse in the Bible, "Jesus wept."

Seeing Jesus cry, those around had two reactions. One group noted how much He loved Lazarus. The other said "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?" (John 11:37)

The answer to that question was yes. Jesus could have come and simply healed Lazarus. For that matter, He could simply have said the word and the disease would have left. He chose to wait for death to perform the greater miracle.

So for us, sometimes when we face difficulty, trial, turmoil, depression, tragedy - when we pray, what do we expect of God? Do we expect Him to get us out of the jam we are in, and if He doesn't are we disappointed like the people at Lazarus' tomb?

My encouragement to us today is not to despair if the worst happens and God doesn't stop it. Don't be mad at God or think He doesn't love you. Perhaps He waits in order to perform the greater miracle - using your life, as broken as it is, as a testimony so that others will love Him the more and come out of their own tomb into the abundant life that comes with knowing Jesus.

Pastor Tom