But Even Now . . .
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Friday: Third Week of Lent
John 11:17-44
What do you do when God lets you down?
Jesus had let them down! The proof was lying in a stone tomb. Lazarus was dead—and he had been dead for four days!
Initially, I’m sure they had faith. The sisters had seen Jesus heal the sick—even raise the dead! They knew Jesus loved them and they had asked Him to heal their brother. What more was needed? Jesus would come. He would make it, right?
But each hour and each day that they waited their confusion, disbelief, and disappointment must have grown. By the fourth day, it appears that Mary had nothing left: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (11:32). Jesus didn’t scold Mary for her lack of faith. He met her in her disappointment and grief—He wept. Martha surprises everyone by expressing faith even through her disappointment: “I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask” (11:22). What a statement! With her eyes on Jesus, she dared to hope.
God doesn’t always act according to our timetables or our expectations. We experience times of disappointment with God, like Mary and Martha did and like the disciples would just a few days later. Yet Martha shows that, even in the midst of disappointment with God, we can keep our eyes on Jesus and find hope. And Mary demonstrates that even when we have lost all hope, we can still fall at Jesus’ feet where we receive comfort and strength.
Have you ever seen God bring comfort, hope, and life into a desperate situation? Why not invite Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life, into whatever circumstance you face today?
Greg Bright is Pastor of Gateway Community Church in Canora, SK. [/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/4″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_button size=”regular” block=”true” circle=”false” icon_only=”false” href=”http://mbseminary.ca/believe” title=”Believe” target=”blank” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””]Believe
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