John 11:17-27
17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
Reflection
Jesus delayed coming to his beloved friends until he was certain Lazarus was dead (John 11:6), but Martha and Mary questioned his decision: “Lord, if you had been here . . .” (v. 21). As followers of Jesus, the discipline of delay is one of the hardest lessons we must learn, especially when it is God who does the delaying. Only grace can strengthen us to accept God’s various answers to our earnest prayers —“yes,” “no,” “not yet,” or even “yes, but it’s going to feel like no”— because we trust that he “is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20).
The more deeply we know and walk with Jesus, the more readily we accept God’s glory as our greatest good, even when it feels bad or hurtful. As “the resurrection and the life,” Jesus is always writing better stories than we could ever imagine. Martha and Mary would soon find this to be true.
Hebrews 10:1-10
10: For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; 6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. 7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”
8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Reflection
The reason animal sacrifices had to be offered year after year in Israel’s system of worship was that the blood of sacrificed animals could not accomplish the forgiveness of sins (Heb. 10:1–4). The sacrifice of Christ’s own body, on the other hand, was able to eternally cleanse sinners and was therefore offered “once for all” (v. 10). By his perfect offering, Jesus has forever removed the need for any further sacrifices for sin. The payment is complete—“it is finished” (John 19:30).
Psalm 62:5-7
5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. 7 On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
God’s plans often do not make sense to us at first glance, but as with the death of Lazarus, God never allows suffering without a purpose. Pray that your heart would be steadfast in faith when you face suffering, and that you would wait with confidence in God’s timing and good purposes.