I Trust You, but…

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. 

Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. 

John 11: 5-6   Job 13:15 NASB

If you’ve never read the Biblical account of Lazarus (or it’s been awhile), grab a cup of coffee, open your Bible to John 11, and prepare for emotional whiplash. And questions. Lots of questions, and possibly a whole new perspective on the “dead” things of your life.

Let me give you the cliff-note version. Jesus, who was given news that a beloved friend was near death, chose to wait two days before even beginning the long journey to see him. In fact, the Word tells us that because of Jesus’ love, He purposefully waited. Waited while the sisters, who had sent word of the illness, longed for a miracle. Waited until death had occurred. Waited until there was no hope. At all. Only then did the Lord of glory show up on the scene.

On the outskirts of the city, Jesus was met with the guttural cry of Martha, “Lord if You had been here, my brother would not have died!” Moments later, the other sister, Mary, uttered the exact phrase as well. Can’t you just feel the pain of their heart? The questions of “Why?” or “How could You let this happen?” must have been nearly unbearable.

In their blinding pain and disappointment, it never occurred to them that this Jesus, whom they sought in order to bring healing for their brother, would instead, raise him from the dead. That He would allow such tragedy as a vehicle to bring such glory. That He would risk being misunderstood and misjudged as uncaring, in order to grant them the gift of seeing God’s miraculous power first hand. On their behalf.  To be shared for all time – to encourage others in their “dead” circumstances. To know where Jesus Christ is, there is always hope.

Truly, I don’t know what has “died” in your life or how impossible it looks right now. But He knows. Maybe, like these two sisters, you’ve cried through tears, “Lord if You had been here,” or even, “Lord, how could You?”  No judgement call here, I’ve done it myself a time or two or ten…But I’m here to testify that He has faithfully used my pain, walked me through the pain or done the impossible by bringing life out of a “dead” and painful situation. I have learned that if He has allowed “it”, He has a purpose and a plan for it and I can trust Him. And so can you dear one. So can you…

There is nothing–no circumstance, no trouble, no testing–that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God and past Christ right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose.”

“There is nothing – no circumstance, no trouble, no testing -that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God and past Christ right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose.”

– Alan Redpath

Oh Father,

I admit that I have thought, even if left unspoken – “If You had been here…” I am ashamed at my lack of trust in You Father. Who am I to think when difficulties happen that You don’t have a plan? That You have lost control? That You can’t bring life from what has died? You are good and You are faithful…and You are for me…I love you. In Jesus name, Amen

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus