Tuesday | Week 10

Notice that it was Jesus’ love for these people that prompted His delay in going to Lazarus and his sisters. It says, “Now Jesus loved…so, He stayed…” (John 11:5-6, ESV). 

What was the initial result of Jesus’ decision? Lazarus died. In fact, by the time Jesus arrived at Lazarus’ hometown, he had already been dead four days. His body was tucked away in a tomb. When Jesus plainly revealed to the disciples that Lazarus was dead, He made this statement: “I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe” (John 11:15, ESV). And when Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died,” He said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:21; 25-26, ESV).

Furthermore, when Christ stood at the tomb, He prayed,

“Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe you sent me”
John 11:41-42, ESV

Jesus is calling us to believe in Him. Unlike ourselves, He isn’t limited to the partial perspective of the past and present. Instead, He sees life through the scope of eternity. He isn’t intimidated by the single, bitter circumstance that has been placed before us, but He has promised to work all things for the good (Romans 8:28, ESV). He is dead set on combining all the ingredients in our life to make something greater, in order that we might “…taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8, ESV). 

According to John 10:10, our abundant life is best established by believing in Him for all that He is, whether the Deliverer from evil, or the Sustainer in our suffering. Sure, He could immediately alleviate our pain every time, but there are greater dividends to reap when the eternal picture is considered. He sees what we can’t. 

At times, He allows the circumstance to become graver than we could first imagine so that He can show Himself greater than we first believed.