Today I went back to revisit Bethany
and the incredible lessons I learned about Martha, Mary, and Lazarus over the
past couple of years. I needed to be reminded why Jesus, when He heard Lazarus
was sick and knew he would die, chose to stay where He was another 2 days.
I remember when I was doing the
study for the first time being so struck by the phrase “Jesus loved… yet He stayed”. I knew if I
believed that statement was true in their lives then it would have to be true
in mine. My head gets it most of the time but there are times when my heart
struggles with the truth of it.
This week is one of those weeks for
me. This week my family and I say goodbye to people we have ministered to and
with at Kossuth Street Baptist Church. This would not be what I would have
chosen for right now but because I trust in the sovereignty of God, I rest in
the surety that it is God’s best for us.
There are moments I think, “Jesus does loves
me… yet He - ” and I get
frustrated or sad or a whole number of emotions when I fill in the blank with
what I am focused on. But going back to John 11, I am reminded that Jesus said
right up front that what was going to happen was for God’s glory. He made
that declaration before Lazarus even died. His intent was always to bring His
Father glory.
It is also a wonderful and tender
realization that Jesus talked plainly with His disciples when they didn’t get what was
going on “…for your sake, I’m glad I was not
there – so you may
believe.”
And
even though this is many, many years later and a different circumstance, Jesus
whispers those same assurances to me:
~
I love you
~
I knew about this situation before the earth was made
~
I care about you and the pain you are experiencing
~
This is for God’s glory
~
And this is so you may believe in Me
Glad
I went back to visit Bethany again. –
I needed those reminders!
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