Years ago when I worked at a church in the States as I unlocked the front door of the building I was accosted by a man who demanded money: "Hey, give me five bucks." When I declined, his demeanour became more aggressive and said something like, "This is a church, man! And you say you love and care about people?" Apparently I wasn't the soft target he was expecting, and I was not about to cave to a guilt trip because I didn't respond how he wanted. In fact, it was because I cared about him I was not going to give him money to enable his addictions or embolden him to panhandle at our premises. Love doesn't always look like we think it should.
Recently I read about when Jesus received word his beloved friend Lazarus was sick. His condition was dire enough to prompt his sisters to urgently send word to Jesus so He might come and heal him. John 11:4-6 says, "When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was." Now this was unexpected! The penman John stressed Jesus loved not only Lazarus but his sisters Mary and Martha too because the actions of Jesus were not what we might expect from someone who cared. We might think one could safely assume if Jesus really loved Lazarus He would drop everything to be by His side. But God's love is revealed in unexpected ways, by waiting when we believe urgency is required, by seemingly ignoring the plight of His close friend as he lay dying.
God's love is manifested more by meeting deepest needs than in doing what we think He should. By allowing Lazarus to die Jesus would bring many more to eternal salvation by the revelation of His deity through miraculously resurrecting he who was dead and buried four days! I expect if you had spoken to Mary before Lazarus was raised from the dead she genuinely wondered if Jesus loved them or not. When she heard he was coming to town, she didn't even bother to go out and greet Him so great was her grief. After she met with Jesus His love was unexpectedly shown when he wept at the tomb of his friend. We might have expected Jesus to be cavalier or smug knowing in minutes Lazarus at His word would emerge from the tomb wrapped in grave clothes in the presence of many witnesses. Again, the scope of God's love reaches beyond our assumptions or expectations.
John 11:45 proves the eternal fruitfulness of Christ's love and power: "Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him." Had Jesus done what Martha and Mary hoped, Lazarus would have been healed and out of danger of death. They would have confirmed in their minds Jesus is indeed a handy fellow to have around in times of trouble, a personal super-medic to call on when a family member or friend was ill - not the Resurrection and the Life! Jesus demonstrated His love by tarrying, and He tarries today at times as well. His tarrying may not be for a couple days but for weeks, months, and years so "the Son of God may be glorified through it." He knows exactly what He will do and accomplish through times when we wonder if God is hearing our cries or not. "That's fine for you to say when you aren't the one hurting or having to wait," you might say. Fair enough, but consider how Jesus demonstrated His love by dying on the cross for the sins of wicked men: no disciple of Jesus saw that coming, but we all rejoice in it. He was willing to suffer pain and grief for us, and we should marvel at the fruitfulness of His sacrifice and the benefits we have received.
May the reality of God's great love towards us be established in our hearts and minds by faith regardless of our circumstances, choosing to trust and look to Jesus. His everlasting love is infinitely greater than our thoughts, assumptions, or imagination. His love may be unexpected but it is good and never fails.
Recently I read about when Jesus received word his beloved friend Lazarus was sick. His condition was dire enough to prompt his sisters to urgently send word to Jesus so He might come and heal him. John 11:4-6 says, "When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was." Now this was unexpected! The penman John stressed Jesus loved not only Lazarus but his sisters Mary and Martha too because the actions of Jesus were not what we might expect from someone who cared. We might think one could safely assume if Jesus really loved Lazarus He would drop everything to be by His side. But God's love is revealed in unexpected ways, by waiting when we believe urgency is required, by seemingly ignoring the plight of His close friend as he lay dying.
God's love is manifested more by meeting deepest needs than in doing what we think He should. By allowing Lazarus to die Jesus would bring many more to eternal salvation by the revelation of His deity through miraculously resurrecting he who was dead and buried four days! I expect if you had spoken to Mary before Lazarus was raised from the dead she genuinely wondered if Jesus loved them or not. When she heard he was coming to town, she didn't even bother to go out and greet Him so great was her grief. After she met with Jesus His love was unexpectedly shown when he wept at the tomb of his friend. We might have expected Jesus to be cavalier or smug knowing in minutes Lazarus at His word would emerge from the tomb wrapped in grave clothes in the presence of many witnesses. Again, the scope of God's love reaches beyond our assumptions or expectations.
John 11:45 proves the eternal fruitfulness of Christ's love and power: "Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him." Had Jesus done what Martha and Mary hoped, Lazarus would have been healed and out of danger of death. They would have confirmed in their minds Jesus is indeed a handy fellow to have around in times of trouble, a personal super-medic to call on when a family member or friend was ill - not the Resurrection and the Life! Jesus demonstrated His love by tarrying, and He tarries today at times as well. His tarrying may not be for a couple days but for weeks, months, and years so "the Son of God may be glorified through it." He knows exactly what He will do and accomplish through times when we wonder if God is hearing our cries or not. "That's fine for you to say when you aren't the one hurting or having to wait," you might say. Fair enough, but consider how Jesus demonstrated His love by dying on the cross for the sins of wicked men: no disciple of Jesus saw that coming, but we all rejoice in it. He was willing to suffer pain and grief for us, and we should marvel at the fruitfulness of His sacrifice and the benefits we have received.
May the reality of God's great love towards us be established in our hearts and minds by faith regardless of our circumstances, choosing to trust and look to Jesus. His everlasting love is infinitely greater than our thoughts, assumptions, or imagination. His love may be unexpected but it is good and never fails.
No comments:
Post a Comment
To uphold the integrity of this site, no comments with links for advertising will be posted. No ads here! :)