This has been on of the hardest seasons of my life. For multiple reasons. This season has been marked by the "death" of many things. And, no matter how you look at it, death is hard. For me personally, this has looked like the death of a relationship. The loss of which felt like a literal death at times, except I was still breathing.
Another "death" came in being hit with the reality that things are not how they used to be. This concept was marked by sitting in a hospital room watching my grandmother struggle to breathe. Never in my life have I seen my grandmother as weak as I've seen her in the past few weeks. It has rocked me in ways that I couldn't have predicted and reduced me to tears at the most unexpected of times.
In the midst of all this "death", God showed me something new a few weeks ago through His Word. I was listening to a teaching on John 11. And, within this story, Jesus stares death in the face and shows it who's boss. It's the story of Lazarus. The story starts out with Lazarus's sisters calling to Jesus, letting Him know that Lazarus was very sick, and this is where we pick it up:
"Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that Lazarus was ill, He stayed two days longer where He was." John 11: 5-6
This Scripture messes with my theology in the best was possible. Do you see it?
Because of Jesus' love for His friends, He stayed where He was. For two whole days. And, by doing so, Lazarus died.
This begs the question - what if there are times when death happens as a result of our Savior's love for us?
What if this season of death is a direct result of His love for me?
See - we know how this story ends. Before Jesus shows up on the scene, He talks to His disciples and lets them know that it is for their benefit that Lazarus died. Glory would be shown as a result. Yet, when Jesus arrives, met by the grieving sisters of Lazarus, you wouldn't know it. Martha straight up blames Jesus for the death of her brother. Jesus answers with this:
"I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet he shall live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" John 11: 25:26
It sure didn't look like it in that moment. But, with Jesus, death never ends in death. No matter what the "death" is. He is constantly at work. When Martha knew only knew death and life had not yet come for her brother - Jesus asked a very important question: Do you believe I am who I say I am?
Her response was equally as important: Yes, Lord.
Shortly after this conversation, Jesus speaks three words and death loosens its grip on Lazarus. I imagine that Lazarus came hopping out looking like a mummy.
What if His love brings death, only to get the glory when new life bursts forth?
I don't know where you are at when you are reading this words. You might be in the middle of a fantastic season. Or, you might be in the lowest of lows. Maybe you're grieving the loss of a relationship...or of your health....or that you are hurting, again. Hear this, dear Reader....
No matter what our eyes see. No matter what the circumstance. No matter the season or the level of darkness we find ourselves in. Jesus does not change. There is not a moment when He is not actively working to bring life from whatever death we are facing. He never stops redeeming. Nothing is wasted. Not even death.
I imagine Him asking us the same question that He asked Martha: Do you believe Me? Do you believe I will bring life out of this? Do you believe that I Am Life?
May our response be the same, even before He speaks the word to bring the end to this season:
Yes, Lord.
