…the Resurrection and the Life
Hello friend, and welcome to another miracle moment with Jesus! Every moment we spend with the Great “I AM” is a miraculous gift!
Laurel and I went away to North Carolina to see our kids and our baby grand-daughter who, for the record, is the smartest, cutest and most advanced grandchild in the history of the world so far😊! We got to their home and promptly got food poisoning. It was one of those sicknesses that hit hard, knocked you down and out, and then went away as quickly as it came...thank You Jesus!
friend, have you ever noticed that being sick makes you appreciate being well? When you are well, you don’t really think about being well, but when the stomach is churning, the head is pounding, and you think you are about to die, you are suddenly aware and reminded to never take it for granted when you are well. Today, we are going to encounter sickness as the backdrop to another powerful “I AM” statement from Jesus.
The Bible tells us that a dear friend of Jesus becomes sick and then passes away. Jesus had a special friendship with Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. When Lazarus gets sick, the sisters send for Jesus but He doesn’t come to them right away and in that gap of time, Lazarus dies. When Jesus finally gets there, both sisters say something that I am sure we have all said, “Jesus, if you would have been here, my brother would now have died.” Have you ever said something like that? Jesus, if you would have been here my relationship would not have fallen apart. Jesus, if you would have been here, my business would not have dissolved. Jesus, if you would have been here, my loved one would not have died. In truth, Jesus was there, in the pain, in the loss, in the hurt. This is what I have learned in my life. Jesus is always there! I just often overlook His presence.
When Jesus does arrive, He asks the sisters a question, “Jesus said to her, ’I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’” (John 11:25-26, NIV)
friend, when you are sitting at the feet of Jesus it’s okay to say, “Where were You? Why didn’t You show up on time? Why didn’t You heal? Why didn’t You intervene?” It’s safe to say those things in front of Jesus. We may not get everything we want resurrected but you will be resurrected if you place yourself there!
Jesus says, I am the resurrection and the life. Jesus is saying, I can resurrect an addict if they will surrender. I can resurrect a dream out of the ashes if you will bring that dream to me. I can resurrect hope out of disappointment if you will throw your questions in front of me! My friend, surrender, dream again, ask Him questions about life, death and disappointment...He is right there! You can bring the dead parts of your life to Jesus, in a hospital room, an office space, driving down a street, even right now, and encounter the God who says this in response to parts of us that have died or are dying, “I am the Resurrection and the Life!”
This is not a plea from Jesus to just get through life as best you can, deal with the disappointment, get sick, don’t complain and be glad that someday, it will all be better in Heaven. No! This is the promise of Jesus that THIS life can be lived with His resurrection power and when the power of the resurrection shows up—dead things come to life again! That dead dream can come back to life. That dead hope can start hoping again. That dead faith can start believing again! Jesus is saying, This is the new beginning—this is not the end, I am just getting started. So He says, “I am the resurrection and the life!”
I love how the story of Lazarus ends. Jesus raises Lazarus back to life, because Jesus is the resurrection and the life! A funeral is transformed into a miracle celebration!
friend, what “dead” part of you do you need to bring to Jesus today? No matter what it is, Jesus can bring it back to life again! Let’s pray:
Jesus, You bring dead things back to life! Dead dreams, dead hopes, broken relationships, broken pasts...You can breathe life into them again and we ask You to do just that. We need new life! Lord, help us to surrender so that moments we believe to be funerals, can turn into the celebration of a miracle! Amen.
Never forget my friend...
You are a miracle!
