+JMJ
I was meditating on the Raising of Lazarus. It is one of my favorite passages in scripture because it gives a beautiful glimpse of the tender love of our Lord. It is this tender love that has been on my mind lately. Especially when He asks me to do things I, childishly, am not in the mood to do.
He’ll whisper to me, “Do it for love of me.” He is gracious in this command. Almost pleading with me to do what He asks. Because He loves me and does not want to see me fall away from Him.
Yet, I continue to find myself putting Him off for worldly things: watching TV, scrolling through social media, etc.
He uses the passage of the raising of Lazarus to remind me of how I should respond to His voice. That for love of Him I should not put Him off, but instead run to Him.
The Raising of Lazarus
And Jesus hearing it, said to them, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister Mary, and Lazarus. When He had heard therefore that he was sick, He still remained in the same place two days. Then after that, He said to His disciples, “Let us go into Judea again.”
Then, therefore, Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. And I am glad, for your sakes, that I was not there, that you may believe, but let us go to him.”
Martha therefore, as soon as she heard that Jesus was come, went to meet Him, but Mary sat at home. Martha therefore said to Jesus, “Lord, if thou hast been here, my brother had not died. But now also I know that whatsoever Thou wilt ask of God, God will give it Thee.”
Jesus saith to her, “Thy brother shall rise again.”
Martha saith to Him, “I know that he shall rise again, in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, although he be dead, shall live. And everyone that live there, and believeth in Me, shall not die forever. Believes thou this?”
She saith to Him, “Yea, Lord, I have believed that Thou art Christ the Son of the living God, who art come into this world.”
And when she had said these things, she went, and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, “The master is come, and calleth for thee.”
She, as soon as she heard this, riseth quickly, and cometh to Him.
-John 11:4, 14, 20-29
My Contemplation
I am Mary, hurrying out to meet Him. I had been so sad at the passing of my brother, but had cried very little, feeling more numb than pain.
But as soon as I lay eyes on my Lord, I fall to pieces. I am overwhelmed by all the feelings intertwined into a jumbled mess. I can barley breathe through the tears and I collapse at His feet.
His heart is so moved for me. He can’t help it, out of love, He gently pleads, “Where have you laid him?” I lead Him to the grave, where I fall to my knees again, and He kneels beside me, and weeps.
The Lord speaks to you throughout the day, if you take the time to listen. Guiding you, calling you, even in the smallest things. So, the parts of this passage that really stood out to me were the fact that Martha, Mary, and even Lazarus, upon hearing the the call of the Lord, arose immediately and went to Him.
Immediately…. Do I respond immediately? Do I go to Him immediately? Do I perform the tasks He assigns me immediately?
Or do I wait…. Do I procrastinate? Do I dilly dally? Do I fill my time with busy things?
I am ashamed to admit that it is the latter. That is pretty amazing. Lazarus was dead… and he arose immediately at the call of the Lord. When there are days I cannot even get myself up off the couch when He calls me to prayer because my favorite movie is on. I can see how easily I am distracted and drawn away from the voice of the Lord throughout my day.
A conscious effort has to be made on my part to heed and obey His voice. Discipline and perseverance are necessary to this practice of obedience. This never seems easy of course. But if I picture myself like the weeping Mary, sister of Lazarus, I can hear the tender loving plea from the Heart of the Lord. It is His love that definitely makes me more willing to arise quickly and go to Him.
Thrive in Jesus, My Friends!
What do you find distracts you the most throughout your day? What makes it easier for you to obey the voice of the Lord? How does He speak to you? Leave me a comment and let me know!
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