"Do You Believe This?"

How I wish I could see spiritual things better! Too many times I find myself like Martha and Mary in John 11. Lazarus their brother was sick and eventually died. What was amazing is Jesus loved them so yet lingered a few more days to allow him to die. Jesus knew what He was doing. The people didn't. It became a trust issue.

Upon arrival, Lazarus had been in the tomb four days. Martha came out to meet Jesus before He arrived at their home saying, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died!" It wasn't long before Mary came out and met Him saying, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died!" Isn't it rather interesting they both had the same response? Someones been talking. They could see only the immediate. Jesus could have done something yesterday but nothing today. The circumstances are such they are beyond Him today but yesterday...?

Jesus knew this death was going to be to the glory of God. Jesus expresses to Martha that her brother will rise again to which Martha replies, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Martha has gone from yesterday to tomorrow which hasn't come! Isn't that what we do. We move from wishing we had done something different yesterday to speaking of tomorrow with little to no hope today. The words from Jesus came: "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" Right there we have it! Do WE believe this? Jesus is today! He is yesterday! He is tomorrow! Jesus is!

Jesus weeps! Why? Not because He watched people sad over the death of this beloved Lazarus. Jesus already knew this outcome. Jesus cries out, "Did I not say to that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" What hurt His heart? What made Him weep? What moved His spirit and troubled Him? The unwillingness of the people to trust in Him and listen to what He was saying.

That's me sometime! I find myself dealing in ways and situations drawing upon me rather than listening and drawing off the Lord. How many times do we look back or forward yet never see the now? How it must crush the heart of our Savior to see us act in such ways while our resurrection and life watches us, troubled and moved at our unbelief. The question He asks us: "Do you believe this?"