Now What!? 3-25-20
Devotions for John 11:1-45
Greetings everyone! Glad you stopped in to think a little bit about what God is up to - and reflect on what God might be doing right now in your life - and how you might participate in what God is doing.
This week we are looking at John’s Gospel and the story of the raising of Jesus’ close friend, Mary and Martha’s brother, Lazarus.
So to start - a prayer:
Lord God - in this life there is terrible pain and loss. There is fear, doubt, suffering, pain, guilt, loneliness, and all kinds of hardship that we go through. Sometimes it can seem like you are absent or unconcerned. Show us, remind us, that in your love for us - you walk with us each day. You know our pain, you know our worry, and you hurt for us as a good parent hurts for their children. God - help us to see your love shining even in the midst of the dark times of this life. Amen.
Lets read the text. Take your time. Take a deep breath, breath out the day, and then read with a pen or highlighter in your hand. (if you don’t like to write in a bible, click here for the text and read that way or print a copy to scribble on:)
Take a few minutes to underline, highlight, jot down a note. Notice what:
catches your attention
confuses you
causes memories to come forward in your mind
resonates with your life at the moment.
Now read it one more time - and this time - listen with your heart engaged.
Did the same things catch your attention?
What might God be wanting you to notice in all this?
What challenges you about this text?
What do you question or disagree with?
What questions would you ask Jesus, or Mary, or any of the characters?
This text is full of so many fascinating things - and a quick google search or read will show you all sorts of things you didn’t know about the history of the time - the ways Israelites of this time dealt with death, funerals, and such, and just how much trouble Jesus was probably causing in this moment of healing. Imagine the amount of money the family wasted on this funeral - how many had already come to morn. Can you imagine having to return gifts received at a funeral because someone came back and complained? Or what if you had already sent out thank you cards? I’m sure there’s someone out there who would say it was a conspiracy the whole time! Then, also, the emotions and anger and astonishment, and fear that are involved! Wow.
As regards our lives today - I hope the reading and reflecting above was productive. Below are some thoughts for you from my perspective. Every time I see this text, something new pops out. This time - a few places that caught my attention this time were:
Verse 4: Jesus is calm and collected here. I struggled with this a little as I read it this time. With a funeral fresh in my mind from this morning, with the fears of death and sickness all around us, and with the anxiety and worry I have been hearing from many within the congregation - I am a little frustrated. It seems like Jesus is being too confident here. Then again - Jesus knows things we don’t. Jesus sees the larger truth, that death will be defeated and this is only a going to be a sign of the time to come. Still - I am walking the earthly walk. I wish I had his confidence and peace.
Do you ever have a hard time seeing the larger picture of God’s love and care for creation?
When do you struggle to see what God is up to? How might you look deeper into that?
Verse 16: Thomas says - then let us go and die with him. Thomas is probably the most faithful of the bunch - consistently. When the others are hiding in the upper room - Thomas is out doing the work of ministry, NOT hiding form the pharisees and others. Thomas in this situation is talking about how dangerous it is for Jesus and the disciples to go to Bethany - it is just a little way, a mile or so, from where the Sanhedrin wants Jesus to be caught and imprisoned or killed. Jesus is taking a big risk here. The disciples don’t want him to go just as much as THEY don’t want to go.
Are there places you don’t want to follow Jesus?
What sorts of pain, embarrassment, or fear have you sought to avoid - even when called to love your neighbor?
Are there people like Thomas in your life? People who show loyalty and devotion strongly? Have you ever told them so?
Verse 33-39: “A deep anger” is how the Message paraphrase translates the greek here. Other translations say, deeply disturbed, or disturbed in Spirit. The Greek phrase is more like “snorted like a horse”. It is a sign of deep rage, frustration, anger. Its almost like Jesus growls.
Jesus is visibly upset seeing the reaction of the people, those he loves, Mary and Martha, and also those he has not yet met gathered. Their emotions and reactions deeply affect him.
And then - we have an anger reaction. Our God - upon seeing our distress with death, our pain and loss, is angry! Our God steps up and calls Lazarus up, back into life - tears still on his cheeks. Our God knows grief. Our God knows pain. Our God knows the deep unfairness and injustice of sickness and death. This knocks me over every time I read it. Another time I’ll write more about what this also means when we think about God’s goodness and how there’s still pain and suffering in this life, and sickness. But for now. Wow.
How does Jesus’ emotion resonate with you? What does it mean for you that your Savior knows your heart because your Savior has felt that pain too?
Jesus literally overcomes one death in this situation, and later, overcomes all death in his resurrection. What do you think it would look like to dwell in God’s presence with no fear of death? Can you imagine it? Why? Why not?
How is the fear of loss different from the fear of death? How might this text address that?
Thanks for spending some time reflecting on scripture with me! I hope this has been useful for you and I hope you find comfort and peace as you spend time in God’s word. Feel free to email me ideas, questions, and thoughts.
Lets close with a prayer: Jesus - you know what it is like to feel your heart break, and to cry with those you love and those you’ve just met. Lord, sometimes our fear and grief can be isolating. Help us to reach out to you - and in so doing, connect us to our neighbors whom we need, and who may need us just as much. Thank you for your love, help us to trust your life and your truth. Amen.
That’s all for now! Christ’s Peace! PrCR