Devotions

When God Speaks Life

September 8, 2020

I am the resurrection and the life.  Luke 11:25

What do you think God is speaking to you about?  Read John 11:4,  When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.; 11:25-26-  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?  Let’s do a little review of this chapter.  Lazarus became ill.  Mary and Martha sent a message to Jesus.  Jesus waited two extra days before he headed to them.  By the time Jesus got there, Lazarus had been dead for four days.  Do you see the blanks that are not filled?  Have you ever been to this place where a loved is fighting sickness or is taken to soon?  I sure have.  I had a cousin die of cancer at a young age.  Why?  My dad died unexpectedly in a car accident. Why?   My next-door neighbor passed away leaving behind three small children. Why? We don’t know and we don’t always get the answer to these questions.  However, we need to invite God into our lives.  We need to trust that He has a purpose and for whatever the purpose is, we trust Him in it. 

Look at John 11:5-6:  Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.  When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.  Does anything seem out of place here?  Why do you think Jesus waited two days before he went to them?  Why did he do this if he loved them?  I know for me if I know my loved ones are sick and could die, I would do all I could to be with them.  So why didn’t Jesus if he loved them?  
Read John 11: 4-15 again.  Reread verses, 4, 11, and 15.  What is the purpose?  The purpose was for the glory of God to be displayed through this illness and so that the Son of God may have been glorified.  Martha’s faith was real.  She had real questions for Jesus that we can even see ourselves engaging in.  Martha was looking to the future of what Jesus could do when Jesus wanted her to live in the present.  She had given up hope of Lazarus being alive in the present.
We don’t have to know all the answers.  We don’t have to have all the blanks filled.  We don’t have to have all the details.  We don’t have to know the why’s or the hows.  All we need is to trust Jesus will accomplish what is good.  Even if our circumstances are not good.  Does this passage help you to not give up on hope?  God may answer your prayers or not.  You might have to wait years for the answers.  In the waiting, in the agony, in the hurt are you willing to trust God?
In the end, Jesus raised Lazarus back to life just by speaking.  When God speaks, things happen.  It brings life.  How has God’s word brought life to you?
Dear Heavenly Father,
You are so good.  Thank you for speaking life into each of us.  Thank you for bringing life into us.  Thank you Jesus for being the Resurrection and life.
In Jesus Name
Amen