Zooming in and out of a picture or story gives us different perspectives. When we zoom out of the story of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, we see the story that Jesus is living. The story of walking toward death for the sake of life.
As soon as Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, the plot to kill Jesus begins. Even as he is bringing resurrection and life back to this community, he is walking toward his death that will lead to resurrection and life for all people. What Jesus did in the life of one man, in a community in Bethany, he will do for the world.
our temptation
We live zoomed in on our stories. And when we have to wait, we are restless for what is to come. While we wait, we are all tempted.
Even Jesus was tempted (Luke 4:1–13). Our temptations can include making things happen out of sync with life and God’s timing, withdrawing and isolating as we turn in on ourselves and exclude others, or denying what is happening. Or maybe even more practical things such as: overeating or over drinking, bursts of anger, or lethargy with work that needs to be done. Sometimes our waiting will be for a few days and for other things a lifetime. Waiting is hard. But it does not have to be done alone. As with any temptation, the invitation from Jesus is to pour ourselves out to him, to know him more deeply, to wait in community, and to get any other help we need.
as we wait
Martha, Mary, and the community had to wait for the resurrection of Lazarus. The disciples and the women at the cross had to wait for the resurrection of Jesus. Life from death requires waiting. As we wait, we prepare for what we know, and we rest. Key word: rest.
When the women at the cross saw Jesus’s body taken down, they followed it to the tomb and watched how it was laid (Luke 23:50–55). Then they went back home and prepared ointments and spices for the body of Jesus. They stayed present with what they knew and prepared for what was to come. Then the women rested according to the commandment of the Sabbath (Luke 23:56).
The invitation that is extended to us is to rest. Rest from our worries, rest from solving the problems, rest from idle busyness that makes us feel better because at least there is some type of movement. Rest in the provision of Jesus, trusting that resurrection will come in its time.
what are you waiting for?
For some things, resurrection will come in this life. For other things, we will have to wait until the final resurrection when all things are made new and death is no longer. While we wait, we grieve, we rest, and we remain in the present while preparing for the future.
What are you waiting to see resurrected? Is it a marriage? A relationship? A loved one’s life? Maybe it is the spiritual life of another? Or maybe it is your own life?
I ask God to show me the direction of a healthy God-centered relationship , I want to be equally yoked with someone who loves me and sees me exactly as you created me. God please give a spiritual assurance that I am going the right path career wise . Please teach me to continue honoring my parents and helping them without becoming a parent-pleaser , please help me to be more independent, financially stable , strong and focused as I prepare to be a more Godly woman and mother and wife someday. I kn0w that his love and patience and forgiveness is incomparable. I am confident that he will change things around in perfect timing. Divine timing.
I hope and pray that Amanda will find forgiveness for her brother. That Trevor will find his moral compass and wisdom. That God will send more people into our lives to share life with. That God will reveal my purpose. In His name I pray
Lord Jesus, you go ahead and prepare a hope and future for me both here and in heaven. We are in a season of waiting and it is quite difficult at times. However, I know you have our best interest in mind and your plans are perfect. Help me to worry less about earthly needs and to-do lists, and to focus on trusting you in all things.
Heavenly Father this year has been difficult and its only just beginning before it ends. There are so many health issues to deal with and some days it feels like a web I am falling into getting trapped with my own problems and my fiancés who is so scared of his on going health problems I can only bring him to you because I cant help any other way. I am trying so hard to rehabilitate after 6months of no physical exercise of being in lockdown but my legs are giving me so much pain and I am feeling like I did when I first got diagnosed 6years ago. please help me, I don’t want my legs to fail and I cant continue with this pain, cramp, crawling, burning in my feet. I don’t know if all this 3x hourly exercise is contributing to my fatigue and my migraine which now never leaves my right side.
I am asking if it is in your will that my life can be transformed back to the days were I could cope. I could get around. I am strong because you made me strong and taught me to rest, when to be motivated. I am strong to live in pain but not the pain were it is taking over the hours off my day and night. you give me Joy every day, but the pain is silencing it and I want to rejoice and praise your name. you give me the hope to carry on and I ask in your name to bless me, my fiance Bertie.
Amen
Have you seen a Doctor, Sister? It sounds like you are describing peripheral neuropathy. I take Lyrica for this and it is truly a God sent miracle drug.
Lord you know my struggles and my weaknesses and the sin in my life.
I thank-you that your a God of forgiveness and mercy and I confess and ask for your cleansing. Oh that you would create in me a clean heart and a steadfast spirit, that I would walk in your ways. That I would look to you to be the only one to satisfy.
I need you every moment, please help my unbelief and to completely rest in you.
Be my deliverer that you may glorified and lifted high. Bring your resurrection power to bring life that you would be exalted. Fill me today and surround me with your loving presence. May you turn my disappointments into Godly appointments.
Dear Father God,
I come to you with praise for healing me! I feel so much better today. My daughter Melissa has been so stressed with life and has been experiencing increased anxiety with her business. She needs to turn to you, and be with other believers. She and I have a great relationship and she is such a lovely person.
You are such a loving, marvelous God! I love you. Guide me in what I should do now as I rest in You. I want to choose to give everyone and everything to you. Amen
Heavenly Father. You are my shepherd…you talk to me and want me to follow you, willingly not stubbornly. I have been on a roller coaster of pushing, waiting, striving, resting, worrying, and trusting you to open the portal for my next steps. And in so many things it’s been a ‘no’ or ‘not yet’. Jesus, I thought I’d have clarity and an open door by this time and the fact that it has so emphatically not happened points right to you. Kristine, you might be saying, don’t be impatient, don’t hurry to ‘do’ when I want you to ‘be’. So, I ask you Lord, what is mine to do right now? And the thing I sense is, LOVE your mom well. Lord, I will need your help to do that…
Lord, Thank you for allowing me to finally be more sync with your word and understanding it more this past year. So much has happened personally that you know of this past year but I am truly thankful that you gave me grace to put my eyes on you more instead of trying to fix what I know I cant. Your humility and grace for me as an individual is mind boggling. I await the day when I will meet you but until then, I will do my best to honor your word and praise your name to others this side of heaven.
Father,
You know. You always know, every single detail about every single thing. You know the weight of grief, rejection, abandonment, and rest-lessness. And it is all very fresh on my family’s aching hearts.
Thank you, for going before us and behind us, hemming us in so that we can stay present “with what [we know] and prepared for what [is] to come.” As we seek Godly counsel, even this day, I pray that Your Spirit would give just enough light for our next right step, in love and in wisdom. And I pray for that same Light to expose and heal, and bring life from death, for our loved one whose words and actions are bringing so much pain and confusion.
Jesus, I am astounded by the way You loved us when we were “dead in sin.” And how You keep loving us, wooing us to Yourself, even and especially in the wilderness.
Your ways are higher than ours, thank You for making beauty out of ashes. Even if the worst happens…
In Jesus wonderful Name,
Amen.
Lord, I pray to find you and pray to follow your light. I pray for the insecurities and worries to flush away and fill with positivity of your joy and peace. I pray to help others, impact them, show them that you are everything, Lord. I pray that you lead me one step at a time to finding my purpose/ what I do next. I trust you. I love you. I believe in you, Lord. Amen.