The next miracle in our series is The Raising Of Lazarus …This miracle is recorded for us in John 11:1-44. This miracle is one of the most well-known of all the Lord’s miracles. Let’s see what we can learn from this very familiar event… (Once again, due to the length of this account, I would ask that you please take the time to read the entire account. Many of the details of this event had to be skipped due to the length of this devotion. There is much more that can be learned from this wonderful event. My apologies.)
Here, we find Christ being sent a message from Lazarus’ sisters (Mary and Martha) telling Him of Lazarus’ sickness. Christ responds by stating, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”. He waits two days before He travels to Lazarus’ home.
Once He arrives Mary confronts Him by saying “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” We are then told that “When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!”
Following Christ’s arrival at the tomb we are told that, “Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone [from the place] where the dead was laid.” “And Jesus lifted up [his] eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said [it], that they may believe that thou hast sent me.”
And then we read of the victory that was worked by Christ…
“And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.”
If the Lord had not delayed in His traveling to Lazarus…. according to Mary’s testimony, He would have arrived before Lazarus had died. In that case, He would have healed Lazarus of his sickness. Although healing Lazarus would have glorified God, raising him from the dead brought more glory and honor to Christ and His heavenly Father.
What a lesson for us to keep in mind when Christ appears to be delaying an answer to our prayers! We know that our Lord does all things for our good and His glory… Are we experiencing a seeming delay in His answer to our requests? Just remember, He will work in His time and, in doing so, will bring to pass the BEST for us and the GREATEST glory for Himself!
Ps 27:13-14 - [I had fainted], unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
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