“Lord, behold, HE WHOM YOU LOVE is sick”.
“This sickness is not unto death, but FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.”
(John 11:2-3, emphasis added)
Amazing how prepping for a 4-year-olds class can drive home a deep and comforting truth.
Our story this week for the Children’s Church at DSCC was the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead. “Ho-hum…yada, yada…same old, same ol…wait; not so fast.”
This is not some fairy tale or flannel graph story to be glossed over before we dash to snack time and then the playground. God left hidden in plain sight a truth about His ways: sometimes those He love fall sick, sometimes they die…AND IT IS ALL GOOD!
You may be yelling “Wait, that’s not fair” or “But I don’t want to die; I don’t even want to be uncomfortable or unloved.”
OK, so I was the one saying those things; maybe you just thought them. I don’t want my life disrupted, uncomfortable, an endless string of challenges. I want to live until I’m 85; maybe 90, 95 would be nice, and enjoy a nice retirement income.
But I’m focusing on my circumstances, just like Mary and Martha were in the story. Hard to miss the fact that their brother was dead, but they (and all too often we) let the noise of our circumstances drown out God’s still small voice…“My child, I love you.”
The passage tells us Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus (v.5) but then tells us he delayed two days before leaving for Bethany. He knew this episode, painful as it appeared at the time, had a divine beginning (v.4) and a divine ending (vs. 40, 42).
As I sat on the floor Sunday night surrounded by squirmy 4s and 5s, I had to thank God for reminding me that NOTHING I face escapes His loving attention (Mathew 10:29-31) and EVERYTHING that happens “…work together for good to those who love God.” (Romans 8:28)
Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus; Jesus loves me. He loves you too. Never doubt that and never forget it.
Monday, April 11, 2011
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Loved is exactly how I felt on this very day. This Monday turned out to be so eventful that I even recorded it in 6 different facebook status updates titled "I Must Be Loved #1-#6". I woke up very well rested even though I gone to bed late Sunday night, ran out of gas right in front of the gas station on my way to work, struggled with an awful lingering cough from the week before, had a doctor appointment during my hour lunch break, and received a call from my attorney who has begun settlement talks from my October car accident. Most of these circumstances could have left me feeling rather unloved, but seeing God step in and take such good care of me made me see that I am very much loved by Him and others.
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