Jesus Does Wonders with the Dead

Key Verse to Read and Treasure

When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had dies came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”—John 11:44 (ESV)

For Insight

Up to now Jesus had been doing many miracles among the people. He had healed conditions no earthly physician could dream of healing. He had fed thousands of people using only minimal resources like a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish. He had walked on water and stilled a stormy sea, but now he had raised the dead.

Incidentally, this is the miracle the rulers decided Jesus had to go. They could not maintain authority and rule in an environment where there was someone who proved his power was not of this earth and bigger than theirs. With the raising of Lazarus, they began to plot Jesus’ death (John 11:45).

Jesus raised a dead man to life and just to be sure no one could say Lazarus was only sleeping Jesus waited four days before showing up. By then Lazarus had been buried and decomposing in the tomb.

We should not think poorly of Martha for grieving so hard and asking her Lord why he took so long. Since we do it all the time. Our need is desperate, time is of the essence, last breaths are taken, foreclosure notices served, layoff notices given, repossessions performed, yet God doesn’t show up yet. Why does God wait four days to show up when we needed him yesterday?

When we are watching life fall to pieces it’s hard to remember God is always on time and if he doesn’t show up when we want it must be a reason beyond our understanding why he’s waiting. He reminded Martha his waiting was purposed to give glory to God and in glorifying the Father, their own family would be blessed. And Jesus reminds us there is always a reason why he takes time before performing our miracle. Are there lessons to learn? People to reach? Faith to increase or renew? Hearts to be healed? Something new to be brought about that unless we had experienced the death, we would not experience new life?  

With one command Jesus can take the dead situations of our lives and breathe new life, give us new beginnings. Because God is not only a worker of miracles but a God who creates and recreates which means we are never without hope and we always have a future and a hope. Jesus will show up. His miracles are never late but always on time and always glorify God and they are always, always powerful, and amazing.

Lord, we will not lose hope no matter how long it takes your miracle to manifest in our dead situations. Amen

Application:

What “dead” situations do you need to see a miracle? Have you stopped hoping I the Lord? What day are you on?