John 11:7-43
Jesus allowed Lazarus to die. When He arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days, and in the picturesque words of his sister, Martha, "...by this time there is a bad odor."
As Jesus approached Bethany Martha had left her home to meet Him. "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." was her greeting for Him. Straightforward, to the point- the blame is yours Jesus! "But", she adds, "I know that even now God will give You whatever You ask."
Martha's brother is dead and she is grieving. One stage of grief has been identified as anger. Anger at ourselves for not being able to do more to prevent the death, anger at the person who died for leaving, anger towards others we blame for not saving our loved one...
Jesus tells her that her brother will rise again, and she responds that she knows he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Words of hope, all was not lost, she would see him again one day. He tells her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." And then He asks her, "Do you believe this?" Martha responds, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world." A life that goes on eternally even when our body ceases to function, our great hope that goes beyond the passing of life on earth. Jesus gives us the comfort found in this hope when we believe in Him.
Lazarus was Jesus's friend, He wept over his death. He shares the deep grief we feel in the loss of a loved one, He understood Martha's grief, and ours.
Jesus goes to Lazarus' tomb, prays, then calls in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" Bound in grave clothes Lazarus comes out of the tomb - alive! After witnessing this miracle, many came to faith in Christ.
Martha's sadness and grief were turned to joy. Her brother was alive!
Lazarus' sickness did not, "end in death. No, it is for God's glory, so that God's Son may be glorified through it." (John 11:4) The crowd gathered in Mary and Martha's home to mourn Lazarus had the opportunity to see Jesus' miracle and believe in Him. God was glorified!
God's plan is beyond our understanding. What looks like grief to us may be part of His plan to bring others to faith in Him. When Corrie ten Boom and her sister Betsy were sent to prison for hiding Jews during WWII they faced great suffering, and for Betsy, death. Yet because they were in that prison and shared God's Word, many came to hear about Jesus, and believed in Him. How God could be glorified in a concentration camp is beyond our understanding, yet from this great bad came great good.
And so... rather than getting angry at God...perhaps we should ask that He use our trial for His glory...
