This morning I am reflecting on the story of Lazarus, and specifically the sisters, and Jesus' compassion. I had seen a few things that I wanted to pursue, but felt directed back to focus on the sisters in their mourning. First I want to quote a couple of verses from Psalm 34:4,17-18 NIV:
[4] "I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears."
[17] "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.
[18] The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
I thought these verses were significant, and applicable to Mary and Martha. They clearly cried out to the Lord, and He did hear them, and delivered them from their troubles. That being said, Jesus didn't do it the way they desired Him to do it, for they sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick, and asked Him to hurry so that He might heal him. Instead Jesus, waited where He was until He knew from the Father that He had died. Here are more than a few of the verses from the story - John 11:3-4,14-15,21-24,28-29,32-37 NIV:
[3] So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”
[4] When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it.”
[14] So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, [15] and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
[21] “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. [22] But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
[23] Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
[24] Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
[28] After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” [29] When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him.
[32] When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
[33] When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
[34] “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
[35] Jesus wept.
[36] Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
[37] But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
This is another of the stories in John that has such detail that I believe John was absolutely an eye-witness. He repeats the conversations and his reports were of one that observed this from Jesus' side. As I mentioned earlier, the focus this morning is how Jesus responded to the sisters. Notice that He meets each individually, and responds to each according to their needs, and their personality. We know Martha was the more logical and task oriented one while Mary seems to have been the more emotional of the two. Jesus engages in deep and meaningful conversation with Martha, and with Mary He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled, and wept.
Sometimes I think we can forget that Jesus does know exactly what we experience as humans, and He meets us exactly where we are at, and deals with us in our need, and in the most effective way for each of us. He understands exactly what it feels like to lose a loved one, for Joseph died sometime in his life prior to His ministry. We see here how Jesus didn't ignore their cries but rather answered their prayers, meeting them in their need, and blessing them beyond comprehension, revealing His identity as the Messiah to them, the Promised One.
I am also impressed how Jesus asked for Mary, for He knew she was hurting, knew of her pain, and yet He also knew that the Father had something special planned for them, and for that to be seen they needed to be at the gravesite of Lazarus. Sometimes He must draw us out of our situation to move in our lives.
So back to the sense I had at the beginning of my time this morning, the Lord definitely is close to the broken-hearted and those with crushed spirits. He desires to touch and heal and help us to have hope in Him. I believe that there are many who are broken-hearted, many whose spirits have been crushed or are being crushed by these present constraints and impact of rules. Our lives are far from normal, and for many who have lost loved one, jobs, businesses or safe places, the days are brutal. The Lord is also close to the tired, the exhausted, the worn out, the confused and the anxious. He understands all of our emotions, all of our fears, all of our pains, and He is moved by them.
Let us look to Jesus this morning, and let us unburden ourselves and our stuff into His more than capable, waiting arms. HE will meet us, He will answer, He will visit us, but it may not be what we expect, but it will be what we need!
Finally my heart goes out to all who must grieve during this time, who are unable to gather as they desire to console one another, to express their grief, to remember their loved one, or to help each other through this time of grieving. May the Lord's sweet compassion and mercy be showered upon you, and may your experience the comfort that only He can bring.
Amen!
May the peace and comfort of the Lord be yours this morning. May He meet you in your present need, sooth the wounded hearts, heal the broken hearts and comfort those living in fear, and those whose spirits are crushed or wounded.
Sam
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