When We Rise
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
(John 11:39-44)
When Mary and Martha realized how ill their brother Lazarus was, they sent word to Jesus. They believed that Jesus could and would heal their brother - especially since he was Jesus' close friend. They probably wouldn't have been comforted to know that Jesus intentionally delayed coming to them. All the sisters knew was that they needed Jesus and he didn't come. Jesus had healed so many, but now there was only silence. Hadn't their relationship meant anything to Jesus? When Jesus finally came, Lazarus had already been in the tomb for 4 days. Martha and Mary each spoke the same words of anguish: "If only you had been here...". Martha still verbalized her faith in Jesus' identity and the power of God in him. Mary could only weep at Jesus' feet.
We frequently like to say (and sing) that Jesus may not come when we want him but he'll be there right on time. Yet, when we are in that space where we are wanting Jesus to show up and we think we see no evidence of his care and presence, we may struggle to find comfort in his eventual arrival. Even as we know in our hearts the power that God can work through him, we may only manage to weep at his feet. Mary's pain moved Jesus to tears even though he knew what God was going to do. Just as God instructed Ezekiel to be the vessel through which the dry bones were renewed, Jesus involved the community in Lazarus' restoration. When Jesus called Lazarus from the tomb, restoring him to wholeness, Jesus then called on that community to remove the clothes of death - to get close despite the stench and to undergird Lazarus' new life.
While there are many ways we might experience death - loss of health, loss of employment, loss of relationships, the passing of loved ones, to name a few - most of us will never experience an earthly, physical, resurrection the way Lazarus did. We will, however, have opportunities to experience renewal and rebirth. When we are tempted to forget that our time and our ways are not God's, we can lean on the community of faith. God has gifted us with the ability to speak life over one another because we are essential participants in each other's resurrection.
11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’ ”
(Ezekiel 37:10-14)
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