Jesus loves you. So...John 11:5-6

A quick update before a quick post. The main job lead that I had fell through today. I went on a second interview with them last week, but they decided to pursue someone with more sales experience. Back to square one on the job front. I will drive back down to Dallas tomorrow to try to scare up some more leads. As much as I am disappointed, it is appropriate for today's post. God is so faithful and loving, and I am confident in His faithful plan. Please continue to pray for wisdom and patience for me during this process.

Now to today passage. I am working my way through the Gospel of John now for the third time, seven chapters at a time. There are many things that you see when you work through a book of the Bible this way, several of which I posted in the Random Things post from November 12. One of the most enjoyable things about going through the Bible this way is that unexpected things seem to jump out from familiar passages. Today I was in John 8-14, which contains the very familiar story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead in John 11. Most people have heard or read this passage at least a hundred times, so I won't go through the whole story. I just want to focus on two verses that I never noticed before today. That's not exactly accurate. I noticed them before, I just didn't notice how the two verses went together.

Here's the context. Martha and Mary send word to Jesus that Lazarus is sick. Jesus tells the disciples that, "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." (ESV) That part is important too, and we'll get to it later. The interesting part comes in the next two verses. It says, "5Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6So..." Stop right there for a minute. We have a lot of ways that we would like to finish that sentence. "Jesus loved Lazarus so he healed him." We know that Jesus could do that. He had already healed several people in John's gospel, including the official's son in 4:46-54, whom he healed from a distance. Surely he could have done that for Lazarus. "Jesus loved Lazarus so he went to him and comforted him." Now, if he wasn't going to heal him, the compassionate thing to do would be to go and be with him in his sickness, right? I mean if he loved him, he would, wouldn't he? There are a lot of other ways that we could presume to finish that sentence, about a thousand of them would come before how the sentence is actually completed. It says, "5Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was."

Now, since we're so familiar with the story, this is not necessarily surprising to us. We know that Jesus stayed two days longer until Lazarus was 4 days dead. We know that Jesus had compassion on Martha and Mary in their loss. We know that Jesus wept for them. And we know that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead to delight of Mary and Martha, and the amazement of all that had gathered (they were so amazed that they continued to talk about it until the triumphal entry [12:17]). The point is not that he stayed two days longer. The point is the connection between his love for Lazarus and his sisters and the fact that he stayed. Scripture is very obvious in making this point. Some of the translations weaken this point by changing the location of the "so", and the KJV leaves it out all together, but it seems to me to be consistent to leave it there. It certainly convicted me when I read it that way.

Let me just confess my own sin and weakness at this point. There are times in my life (now would be one of them) when I feel like I am at least 3 days dead. Right now I am waiting for a job, and I can't help but think of the bills coming, and wonder how in the world God is going to work this out. And if I'm honest, there are moments when I think I should be more love-able so that God will work everything out the way that I want. When I read this passage, I was convicted deeply of this, and reminded again of God's faithfulness. A couple of points became very clear.

1. Sometimes being dead 4 days displays God's love. It sure doesn't seem like it sometimes, but the truth is that God always shows his love in the ways that are most glorious to him and best for us. After all, even being dead 4 days can't separate me from his love (Romans 8:35-39).
2. God loves me out of His bountiful grace, because of His Son who always does what pleases the Father (John 8:29). Nothing that I can do can surpass His grace and make me more love-able so that He would have to work things out according to my plan. How can the recipient of such grace and love complain about the means by which he receives that grace and love?
3. God loves me this way to display His glory, not to work things according to my plan and glorify me. This is my consistent sin. Falling short of His glory in all of my thoughts. Most of the time I stop at would would bring me the most glory. John Piper says that this is the fundamental definition of sin according to Romans 3:23. God is immeasurably glorious, and He displays His glory in His kind love for us.

So, am I now convinced of His great love for me, despite my circumstances? Am I resolute in bringing Him glory in all of my circumstances? Am I grateful for His kind provision in all things, knowing that He is the absolute source and my only need? Well, I can only say that I am learning to do so more each day.

One last note before signing off. Even after all of that it would still be tempting to say, "Yeah, but look at what Jesus did for Lazarus. He raised him from the dead. Surely Lazarus didn't have any problems after that." I would just like to point out that his problems were only beginning then. John 12:10-11 says, "10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus." Hmmm. Maybe a quick post on Tuesday on the question of whether or not Lazarus would change things if he could. Until then.

Soli Deo Gloria!