iLife

The Gospel of John mentions a family that was close to Jesus – Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Besides his disciples, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were like family to Jesus. They were the kind of friends that Jesus not only liked to break bread with but also enjoyed spending time and hanging out with them. So, in John 11: 1 – 44, this family who had a special connection with Jesus is facing a crisis. The story says that Lazarus was very sick. It says,

“So the two sisters [Mary and Martha] sent a message to Jesus telling him, ‘Lord, your dear friend is very sick’ But when Jesus heard about it he said, ‘Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this’ So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days” John 11: 3 – 6.

Whenever a crisis happens we usually reach out to the people who are the closest to us. Right? How about if, in the midst of your worst crisis (illness), you reach out to the ones who are the closest to you and they don’t show up for couple of days? What do you think? They don’t care about you, to say the least.

It is believed that Jesus was not too far from Bethany – the place where Lazarus and his sisters lived. Some historians believe that Jesus was ministering to people in a location called Trans-Jordan which was about two miles away from Bethany. In other words, Jesus was not so far away that he couldn’t go back to Bethany within less than couple of days. He was literally next door to Bethany.  I can only imagine Martha and Mary’s frustration, disappointment, and pain. Not only was Jesus a very close friend but they also knew Jesus could immediately heal Lazarus.

Have you ever thought that God is late? Have you ever gone through a crisis (life-death) and God disappointed you when you most needed?

Whenever we are going through a crisis, we desperately seek God. Yet, sometimes, God does not seem to be responsive. Like Martha and Mary, when crisis hits home, we think we know better than God when and how He ought to act in the situation. 

After two days, Jesus goes to Bethany. When Jesus gets to Bethany, Lazarus is dead. Mary and Martha’s hearts are broken and they are frustrated, disappointed, and, perhaps, angry.

Have you ever been disappointed and angry with God? Have you ever thought that if God really cared about you, He would’ve prevented a situation from happening?

The story says,

“When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. Bethany was only few miles down the road from Jerusalem, and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. When Martha got the word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11: 17-21).

Martha and Mary were heartbroken and disappointed. Not only was Jesus a close friend but they truly believed that He was God Himself. Martha actually confesses saying that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, the One who has come into the world from God (v. 27). Yet, Jesus, God Himself, was not there when they needed Him most. In fact, like Martha, Mary confesses her frustration and disappointment to Jesus. At his feet, she says if only he had been there, Lazarus would not have died. It was as if Mary was saying if only Jesus (God) had not ignored their desperate plea (cry out), Lazarus would be alive. It was as if Mary and Martha were saying that Jesus didn’t care about their pain. That is why he didn’t show up.

How often do we think that God has a bigger fish to fry than our little crisis? How often do we feel that God does not care about our pain and broken heart?

Jesus tells Martha,

“I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never die” (John 11: 25 – 26).

Jesus sees Martha and Mary’s pain,

“They told him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Then Jesus wept” (John 11:34-35).

Jesus tells Martha that He is the Life. He is the God who not only saves and gives eternal life but He is also the God of our day-to-day life. He is the God who is in control (charge) of life and there is nothing that is too surprising to him. Jesus shows that He is a compassionate God. A God of emotions who is present in times of joy and sorrow. He is the God concerned about the deepest cry of our hearts. Psalm 56: 7 – 8 says,

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
 You have recorded each one in your book.”

Jesus came on the fourth day. On the fourth day the soul was gone and there was no way for life to happen. The God who is the Life. The God who is concerned with the deepest cry of our hearts. He is the God who does not abide by our understanding of right timing, crisis, and seemingly dead situations in life. Had Jesus come when Martha and Mary desperately cried out for him, people might have thought Jesus (God Himself) can play good tricks. After all, Lazarus’s soul was still around. Or, for that matter, he could’ve healed Lazarus while he was still alive. Had Jesus come when Martha and Mary asked him, Martha and Mary might have received the glory. After all, they were smart enough to do the right thing at the right time. Have you ever thought that you are smarter than God? Have you ever thought if it was not for you, God would have forgotten to intervene?

God seems to have a special preference for dealing with seemingly impossible and dead situations in our life. More importantly, the more impossible and dead the situation seems to be the more God receives the glory. Jesus responded to the seemingly dead situation saying,

“’Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?’…’Lazarus, come out’ And the dead man came out…’Unwrap him and let him go!’” (John 11:40; 43;44).

What is the situation that you think God missed the boat? What is the situation that you think if God had acted sooner things would be different? More importantly, what is the situation that you judge to be so dead that you have already wrapped it up and placed it in the tomb of your life?