JOURNEY TO RESURRECTION, Day 20

Halfway! Hooray! We wade through the deepest sorrow before the most ebullient joy springs forth. True for the present in Jesus' life as He walked His final days on earth - and true for us as we plod onward through times of challenge, being faithful in spite of circumstances . . . knowing JOY will come in the morning.... We just don't necessarily know which morning!

We face difficulties - but we don't face them alone. We shrink away from pain, take a few steps back, reassess, pray, pray, and then pray some more.... What perfect timing for me to come to the story in chapter 11 of John.

Mary, Martha and Lazarus lived in Bethany, a very small village about 2 miles outside Jerusalem. Bethany was on the southeast slope of the Mt. of Olives, very familiar territory to Jesus. In fact, Jesus stopped in and spent time with these three siblings often. They were among his dearest friends. Verse 5 affirms that. And they loved Him. Mary proved that publicly when she anointed him with ointment and wiped his feet with her long, beautiful hair.... She proved it when she sat at His feet, absorbing every word He spoke.... And Martha proved it by cooking and cleaning and washing dishes . . . doing everything she could to honor Him by the things she did for Him.

In John 10, Jesus left and went across the Jordan to get away from those who were intent on killing Him, so He wasn't nearby when He got the news that Lazarus was sick. Still, when Jesus first heard that Lazarus was ill, he intentionally stayed 2 more days before he decided to start the trip back to Judea.

And - when He did decide to go, His disciples were wary. They knew He would be walking back into dangerous territory. After all, Jesus had already told them that this sickness was not going to lead to death, so they couldn't figure out why He wanted to go back into harm's way, where people sought to kill Him.

Jesus used the opportunity of Lazarus' demise as a teaching moment. They would remember later that Jesus knew what was, and what was to come.... Lazarus' illness was for the glory of God. He got sick so Jesus could bring him back to life! That's a difficult concept to grasp.

After telling them this illness wasn't going to led to death, 2 days later when Jesus announced that they were going back to Judea, He had to be bluntly clear that Lazarus had died. The indicator of the purpose of the illness is revealed: it was so the disciples would believe.

Thomas - who would later be the 'doubting Thomas' - declared they should go die with Lazarus! I must observe, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, for when the true test of that statement came, related to Jesus and the disciples, Thomas was no where to be found.... I understand. It's easier to express bravery than to follow through when the moment of truth arises. Jesus knew that and loved anyway.

Also, Jesus knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, but when He was in the reality of the circumstances, and experiencing the grief in the gathered pain of those who loved Lazarus, Jesus wept right along with them. I could readily extrapolate that there was more going through His mind than just the pain of losing Lazarus.... It was about 2 months before His own death and resurrection when He raised Lazarus from the grave.... It was personal.

But, I'm getting ahead of the story....

To be continued....