TEXT: John 11:1-44
How easy it is to interpret God's "silence" on or "delay" in a matter, as being God's lack of love or care.
We worship a great big God. A God Who said “let there be!” and there was. Somebody describes it this way: Our God has stretched the stars and galaxies in the heavens like a seamstress stretches fabric on the cutting table. This great God has arranged the planets in space like an engineer places iron and steel for just the right strength and flexibility.
We worship an awesome God! But that is not the main point that needs to be made.– all major religions view God this way. What needs to be grasped is that this big, awesome God is a personal God. In Jesus Christ we meet a God who feels and loves. While God is Lord over all creation, He is also a personal Lord and Saviour to you and to me. I’m afraid Bette Midler got it wrong when she sang “God is watching us from a distance!” He’s not just a God somewhere out there in the universe that must be praised and worshiped, but He’s a God Who has come near; His very name is Immanuel, God with us.
This is seen in the life and ministry of Jesus.
He fed the masses; he taught and healed the crowds, but He also showed that He was a very personal Jesus.
He didn’t leave the woman in her brokenness at the well, but ministered to her one on one (John 4).
He didn’t bypass or shun poor blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52, but stopped and called for him, and healed him.
He didn’t just walk on by that sycamore tree, which Zacchaeus had climbed in order to see Him. Instead, he stopped, called him down and went to his home for tea. (Luke 19:1-10)
Even though Mary and Martha (John 11) may have felt that Jesus was too late; even though their hope may have been depleted – Jesus shows up in the midst of their despair.
He is touched by all the grief around him. (See v33)
A defining moment in all the history of religion; two simple words that set the one true God of the Bible apart from all other false gods: “Jesus wept!” (v35).
Mary, Martha and friends wept that day – but they did not weep alone!
Friends we do not weep alone! The God of the Universe, who alone is God, weeps with us. God feels with us—our waiting, our hoping, our laughing and weeping.
What’s your week been like? What’s your life been like?
Have you experienced great triumph or joy? Our God celebrates with you, rejoices with you.
Have you laboured through a time of waiting and watching for relief, healing or success? Our Saviour walks beside you, waits with you and is at work within and beyond you.
Have you felt sorrow or loss or rejection? Jesus weeps with you!!
Don’t ever mistake God’s delays to mean that He doesn’t care.
PRAYER
Daddy God, thank you for your love
Unchanging, unrelenting, ever true;
Forgive me at times for doubting it,
Help me fix my eyes always on you
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