Raised from the Dead
John 11:1-53
Lord, he whom you love is ill. v. 3b
It’s not unusual for someone who becomes ill to wonder is God is punishing them in some way. Their life may, in many ways, be exemplary. They have exercised, eaten well, had a strong social and intellectual life, were emotionally stable and cared for their God relationship as well Still they get sick. They get cancer or diabetes or heart disease or have a stroke or suddenly come down with some rare disorder.
In those moments, it’s not unusual to ask about God’s love. Where is God when bad things happen? Martha and Mary send for Jesus with a simple message. “he whom you love is ill.” They believe in Jesus and his powers. They trust Jesus to act out of his love for Lazarus and make him well, make him whole. But when Jesus doesn’t come right away, the worst happens and Lazarus dies.
When Jesus does finally arrive, he is met with Martha’s complaint, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died!!!” Who of us, having watched a love one die while hoping for a miracle, would not have expressed the same emotion in that circumstance? Jesus wasn’t there. God wasn’t there. My loved one died. My faith, my trust in God didn’t ward off dying.
Mary and Martha grieve their loss and Jesus does too. What they grieve is the loss of a relationship with a brother and a friend. It goes beyond physical presence to a deep sense of self that is defined by this relationship.
Jesus gives life back to Lazarus–at least for a time. He will one day get ill again and die. But for now, as Lazarus lives in the deep shadow of the cross, he does so with hope. Sickness always leaves us feeling vulnerable, powerless, dependent, fragile, certainly mortal. The shadow of that cross is a dark shadow on our lives. But in those dark times, we discover again that God is not as absent as it seems, but present in our weakness with God’s power to make whole, make strong, make well.
Pray: O God the giver of health and wholeness, your son Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead to reveal your desire for our health and wholeness. May we acknowledge you in all of life’s miracles and moments so that we always look to you for our good. Amen.
Fast: By drinking more water today
Act: Reach out to a grieving friend today.
OR Give $1 to the World Hunger Appeal for ministry support.
...the least of these... 