Resurrected Promises

This morning I felt led once again to go to John 11, which is the story of Lazarus.  this has been one of the most recurrent themes and verses of late, and this morning I was once again asking the Lord why He keeps sending me back to these verses?  Am I not learning or hearing what You are saying?  Is this Your way of saying I am a slow learner?  (just kidding - the Lord thinks I am awesome, just like He thinks You are awesome)!  I felt like He said that there is a promise here that we need to hear!

Here are the verses I am reflecting on today (I am not including some of the rest of the story, but will refer to the facts as presented) - John 11:38-44 NIV:

[38] "Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. [39] “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

[40] Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

[41] So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. [42] I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

[43] When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” [44] The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”


In the past I did quite an extensive study of the medical understanding of what happens to the body 4-5 days after death, and it is not a pretty picture (See my blog entry for more regarding this - https://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/2017/02/gods-promises-are-good-it-is-never-too.html

Suffice it to say that Lazarus didn't just need to be raised to life, His body needed to be reformed, to the point of almost being recreated.  The internal breakdown of the human body happens at the cellular level, and after 4-5 days, the decomposition is significant.

So why am I bringing up this point?  I felt like the Promise of the Lord this morning was for some of us who have suffered lost promises to the point that the promise was more than dead, it is in an advanced state of decay.  The Lord would say,  "Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”   God spoke a recreative word over Lazarus and his body was completely restored in an instant.  All the decay and decomposition was vanquished, and new life was breathed back into Lazarus at the cellular level!   If go can do that for the trillion plus cells in Lazarus' body, He can do the same for your circumstances and life!  He is the restorer of those that are lost, broken, worried, beat-down, hopeless and devastated.  He can resurrect His Promises in Your life, no matter how dead they seem.

So this morning, I am just encouraged to hope in the Lord for all of those unfulfilled and seemingly forgotten promises?  I am encouraged that it sis never too late for the Lord!   He is the restorer and healer.

Finally, I was reminded of some of my favorite verses from the Prophet Isaiah 61:1-4,7 NIV:

[1] "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
 because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
[2] to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
[3] and provide for those who grieve in Zion---to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
[4] They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations."

[7] "Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours."

Amen and Amen!!