I absolutely love the story of lazarus.

There is so much truth wrapped in and around the layers, I am constantly finding something new.

Recently i was struck by the conversation between Jesus and Martha. Martha went out to meet Jesus. and the first thing out of her mouth was, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." The raw honesty that accompanies fresh grief were the first words from Martha to Jesus.

I have so many questions concerning this story. Why didn't Jesus come sooner? Couldn't he have healed Lazarus from the road? What was the delay?

But he did take an extra four days, and his friend passed away during that time.

When he is confronted with these words from Martha, Jesus tells her that her brother will rise again. This much she knows, she knows the scripture and she tells Jesus this. But Jesus presses her.

"I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

He pressed her to take hold of a personal belief. Martha knew that Jesus was the son of God. She knew that he had miraculous gifts that could heal, but he was pressing her to take hold of a personal belief. Later, when he asks for the stone to be rolled away, and she protests, he says,

"Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

And then he calls Lazarus forth. Belief and then glory. Personal belief and then glory.

How often am I running out to meet Jesus upset with the way things have turned out, and he asks confronts me with a question about my belief and the intellectual stance that I have taken? How many moments of glory have I missed b/c I didn't have the faith?

A lot, I imagine. Quite a lot.

posted by Kelly @ 8:52:00 AM