Love That Waits

Many years ago, while Jesus was living on earth, He not only had some folks who followed and listened to His teaching, He also developed some very close friends. This story is about three friends from the town of Bethany; Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha.

One day, while Jesus was teaching his disciples in Jerusalem, Mary and Martha came and interrupted Him.

“Jesus, our brother Lazarus is very sick!” They cried.

Mary and Martha had travelled on foot from their nearby hometown of Bethany to give Jesus the news. They expected that since Jesus was good friends with all three of them He would drop everything and make the two mile walk to Bethany in order to heal their brother.

“This sickness is not unto death. Lazarus is sick, but God will get great glory.” Jesus declared.

Jesus was not ignoring them. He was not too busy for them. Jesus was going to show them that he could do much more than they would ever imagine. Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus deeply.

Some people thought that Jesus was staying away from Bethany because there were folks who hated Him there and wanted to hurt him. But Jesus was not afraid. Jesus had greater things in mind for his beloved friends.

After waiting another two days Jesus headed to Bethany with His disciples. Some of his disciples were nervous about going to a town where Jesus was hated, but Jesus had work to do. Jesus was going to show love and power like they had never seen before.

He said “ Our friend Lazarus is asleep, I am going to wake him up.

The disciples misunderstood Him. They thought that the best thing for someone who is sick is to sleep. Jesus was not talking about taking rest in sleep. Jesus was saying that Lazarus, their friend had died and He was going to wake Him up!

“What in the world does He mean?” thought the disciples. They would just have to wait and see.

When Jesus and the disciples arrived in Bethany, they found out that Lazarus had died and had been buried for four days already. Family and friends were gathered showing love and sympathy to Mary and Martha as they were very sad that their brother had died. Somebody in the gathering told Mary and Martha that Jesus was FINALLY on His way. As soon as Martha heard Jesus was coming, she left the wake and ran to meet the Savior before he even made it into town.

Martha was broken hearted and troubled. Jesus can heal anybody. He healed hundreds of strangers, but not Lazarus who was supposed to be His friend. “Lord if you would have come four days ago, my brother would not have died!” Martha said weeping.

“Your brother will rise again.” Jesus replied.

Martha said “I know that he will rise again in the last day”. She was talking about the time when all believers will be gathered together into Heaven. She had no idea what Jesus was about to do. She felt betrayed and let down. She thought Jesus loved them, yet He let her brother die!

As she was grinding on these thoughts, Jesus said something powerful. Although He did not say it loudly, the words were so powerful it almost took her breath away!

“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live! Whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Jesus’ words pierced deep into Martha’s heart. She still did not fully understand what was about to happen, but she was beginning to realize that Jesus is the great physician and can and will heal whenever it is best. She started to realize that Jesus really did love her, and Mary, and Lazarus. She loudly declared her feelings. “Yes Lord! I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God which should come into the world”. Martha said as she wiped the tears from her face.

Martha had changed her mind about Jesus. She realized that even though she did not know what it was, Jesus had a plan. She loved Jesus now more than ever, even though she did not understand why He let her brother die. Martha realized that even though Mary knew Jesus was on the way, she chose not to come and see Him. Mary too was hurt. Martha got word to her sister that Jesus was in town and wanted to see her.

Mary quickly came to Jesus, fell at His feet and cried out, “Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died!” Mary, like her sister Martha, did not realize that Jesus had a much bigger plan. She did not understand how powerful Jesus was and that He could do anything.

Jesus was also hurt. He had been with His friends all these years and they did not know that Jesus loved them and that He knew what was best. “Where have you laid him?” Jesus asked.

“Come and see.” They replied.

As Jesus thought about the sorrow of His friends, and the fact that they thought that He did not care for them as much as He did, and the awful sting of disease and death, Jesus was overcome with sorrow. His shoulders began to heave as He put His head in His hands and wept.

When the crowd saw Jesus weeping, they realized how much He loved Lazarus. But the crowd was also confused. Couldn’t this Jesus who healed the blind, the lame, and the leper had healed Lazarus?

Jesus came to the grave where Lazarus’ body was. It was a cave in a mountain side with a giant stone in front of the opening sealing it shut. Jesus said,”Take away the stone.”

Martha, confused and troubled said “Lord by this time the body stinks, he has been dead for four days.”

“Didn’t I tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” Jesus replied.

The onlookers removed the stone. The smell of death came over the crowd and everyone stood in amazed silence to see what would happen next. Jesus began to pray in a loud voice so that the whole crowd could hear what He was saying. “Father, I thank you that you heard me. I knew you hear me always, but because of the crowd which are standing here I said it so that they will believe that You have sent Me.”

Then with a voice that seemed to shake the very mountains and with power greater than any healing miracle He had yet performed, Jesus the Great Physician said “LAZARUS COME FORTH!”

Suddenly there was a sound coming from the darkness of the grave that had been opened. A figure wrapped from head to toe like a mummy shuffled forward out of the grave!

Jesus said “Loose him and let him go.”

As they unwrapped him… it was Lazarus! He was alive! Jesus did not heal him from sickness, He resurrected him from the grave! Jesus really was the Resurrection and the Life!

Mary Martha and Lazarus realized that even if things look bad, even if their prayers were not answered right away, Jesus still loved them. Jesus loved them with a love that waits so they would see that He can do much more than they would ever imagine. Jesus defeated death! In Him we can all live forever!