Lazarus

True Thankfulness

/ Karen / 6 Comments

What does true thankfulness look like? Let’s delve into the Scriptures for a picture of this deep emotion, that it may inspire us as we thank God for our blessings this year.

“’I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.'”

John 11:25-26 NASB

Have you ever been disappointed if your prayer wasn’t answered in your timing?

We can surmise that Mary and Martha felt intense disappointment when Jesus came too late to heal their sick brother, Lazarus. Each sister had a unique emotional reaction to Jesus’s arrival, although each greeted Him with the same words: “‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died’” (John 11: 20-21 NASB). I imagine that in the four days since Lazarus’s death, they had often repeated this wish as they grieved.

The sister of reason and responsibility

As soon as Martha heard that the Lord was approaching, she didn’t wait for Him to call her. She ran to Him first. No tears, no scolding for tarrying. Instead, she professed her deep faith in the Messiah.  “Martha then said to Jesus, ‘Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You’” (John 11:22 NASB).

 They conversed about the concept of resurrection in relation to her deceased brother, and Jesus announced that Lazarus would live again. Martha acknowledged that Lazarus would be raised at the resurrection, but Jesus took the opportunity to clarify His true identity.

“’I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.’ She replied, ‘Yes, Lord; I have come to believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, and He who comes into the world.’”

John 11:25-27 NASB

The sister of deep love and emotion

Mary, on the other hand, had chosen not to accompany Martha to the outskirts of town to meet Jesus. Perhaps her heart was too torn with grief.  But when her sister raced back and whispered secretly that Jesus was calling for her, Mary ran to Him.

“So when Mary came to the place where Jesus was, she saw Him and fell at His feet, saying to Him, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.’ Therefore when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled.”

John 11:32-33 NASB

Next, we see Jesus weeping, and we observe the reaction of the crowd to His display of emotion. Not only did they marvel at the Lord’s deep love for Lazarus, but they also wondered. Why hadn’t He come sooner to save this man’s life?

Can’t we imagine the crowd’s shock when Jesus commanded the stone be rolled away? Even Martha cautioned Him about a four-day stench. Jesus, however, commanded: “’Lazarus, come out!’” (John 11:43 NASB).

Although the story ends with the miracle of Lazarus in his graveclothes hobbling to the entrance of the tomb, we aren’t privy to the rest of the story. But we can imagine everyone on their knees, believing in and worshiping the Messiah who had just proved His identity as the resurrection and the life.

The last visit

The next time we find Jesus in Bethany was shortly before His crucifixion. Martha again served the meal as Mary sat at the feet of the Lord.

 “Mary then took a pound of very expensive perfume of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”

John 12:3 NASB

Her sacrifice of lavishing a year’s wage upon Jesus was an act of deepest gratitude for resurrecting her brother.

How does this story relate to us?

What a valuable lesson! No, Jesus isn’t ignoring our prayers, even when all appears lost. He arrives at the right time and performs a miracle of resurrection in a way we couldn’t have imagined.

Some of us may be rational like Martha and question God. The Lord will reason with us about our disappointments and help us to understand. He is the resurrection and the life every day, not just on Resurrection Day. Like Martha, may we serve Him with a gift of deep gratitude.

Others may be emotional like Mary and weep at Jesus’s feet. The Lord is kind and compassionate, and He weeps with us. He shares our deepest grief out of His perfect love. Like Mary, may we fall at Jesus’s feet and lavish Him with a sacrificial gift of worship.

Since we are all born in original sin, our spirits are like that dead body stinking in the grave. But Jesus doesn’t turn away from us in our spiritual rottenness. Instead, He calls us to come forth into His marvelous light of salvation, making our spirits alive.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB

Are you truly thankful this year? As we gather around our Thanksgiving tables, let’s express deep gratefulness to Jesus, especially for His free gift of salvation and grace.

Dear Father, we thank you out of a grateful heart for all Your blessings in 2020. We bring you our unanswered prayers and lay them at the foot of the cross. We believe in a God of resurrection power who can bring life to what appears to be dead. Most of all, we praise You for Your free gift of salvation and pray that many would believe in You today. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.

Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving!

Copyright 2020: True Thankfulness: Author Karen Jurgens: All Rights Reserved

Easter: Seeking Messiah

/ Karen / Leave a comment

Happy Easter Season! I’m taking this opportunity to tell you about some upcoming blog posts I hope you will enjoy reading. I’ll be writing Biblical fiction where a real character will experience what it may have been like during Jesus’ donkey ride into Jerusalem for Passover, His crucifixion on Good Friday, and His resurrection on Easter morning.

 I’d like to introduce you to Simon, the leper.

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Simon rocked as he sat on his camel, the sun’s merciless glare slicing  into his eyes. As he traveled the desert road from Bethany, he ducked his face into long scarf wound around his neck and wiped away sandy dirt, mixed with soured sweat. His focus sharpened, and he squinted into the distance. His heartbeat quickened and a smile spread across his weathered face.

“Ahhh. Jerusalem.” A glittering jewel, flashing like a precious stone in a king’s crown.

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He dug the heels of his sandals into the sides of his camel, ignoring its bleat of protest, and charged on. He had left his wife and infant son at home in Bethany and  was determined to arrive in time for Passover. His brother lived inside the city wall, and his family would make room in their cramped quarters.

But what drove his passion was the news that Jesus was arriving there, too. This compassionate man, who had touched him two years earlier and made him whole, had erased his life sentence of leprosy.  A miracle of restoration back to his family, and he was intent on repaying the Lord for His mercies.

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Simon had also witnessed the miracle of Lazarus coming back to life, convincing him that Jesus had to be Messiah. Although the Sadducees preached and taught against the resurrection, not the Pharisees. How could anyone not believe when Lazarus had been dead in the tomb four days?  The Teacher had commanded in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” and the man, wrapped up like a mummy, had hobbled out alive. I’ll never, never forget it.

He shook his head side to side. The Sadducees were fools in his opinion—though seeing, they remained unbelieving. He laughed aloud as he trotted, remembering that recently he had hosted Jesus and Lazarus at his supper table. He inhaled a deep breath, still able to smell the lavish worship a woman, a believer, had displayed that night.

When Mary had quietly entered with an alabaster vial, no one had paid attention. But then the rich, sweet smell floated everywhere, growing stronger until his nostrils burned with the fragrance. The expensive perfume dripped from Jesus—down his hair, his beard, and through his tunic. That’s when everyone realized she had broken the vial and discreetly poured it over His head.

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As some began to protest indignantly that she had wasted its value by not selling and giving the money to the poor, Jesus put up His hand. They immediately silenced.

He would always cherish Jesus’s words. “Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me. She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial. Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.”

Questions somersaulted in his mind—what did He mean … His burial? Only dead bodies were anointed, and Jesus was very much living. He had to search for answers.

However, there was another reason for this journey besides celebrating Passover. He pictured his infant son lying at home, his stomach cavity pumping in and out as he attempted to inhale enough air for just one good breath. His fearful, brown eyes pleaded. Give. Me. Air.

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He had to locate Jesus. Then his son would be healed. His heart galloped and wrung at the same time, causing tears to squeeze out his eyes and tunnel down his cheeks. Absolutely must. If Jesus could raise the dead and heal lepers, He could heal his son with a single word.

Could he find Him in time? 

 

photos courtesy of morguefile and istockphoto