Now You Will Really Believe

August 17, 2016

Now You Will Really Believe

So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.”

John  11: 14-15

God’s ways often conflict with our ways; God’s timing often conflicts with our timing. These are two of the most difficult aspects of the Christian life to reconcile. While we may not be so crass to say it out loud, too often our internal thoughts reveal our frustration because God does not do what we want done, when we want it done. I dare say that at least 90% of the frustration with our prayer life revolves around our efforts to get God to do what we want, when we want it. As John sets the stage for the greatest miracle of Jesus, the raising of Lazarus from the dead, Jesus is modeling for us how we can respond in faith to the uncertainties and demands of life.

The request for Jesus to go to Bethany created a conflict for Jesus. Bethany is near the Mount of Olives, just a few miles from Jerusalem. When Jesus left Jerusalem, the religious leaders were seeking to arrest him, and to stone him to death. For Jesus to return to the area of Jerusalem would have put him in harm’s way. While Jesus’ disciples feared for his safety, Jesus was calculating the time. Was it God’s time for him to return? Jesus resolved the conflict through prayer.

Jesus knew that no matter what happened to Lazarus, God would be glorified. Therefore, he did not let the circumstance determine his response. Jesus waited until the Spirit prompted him to return to Bethany.

Jesus did not react; he responded. That is what God wants us to do. God wants us to first think, then pray, and then obey the leading of the Spirit.

Jesus responded to every circumstance in his life out of his understanding of God’s will for his life. This is a good time for me to reflect on my life and to consider how often I react to people and happenings, instead of responding out of God’s will for me.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.