Come Out

Resurrect (rez-uh-rekt) :

verb

1. To raise from the dead; bring to life again.

"I am the resurrection." (John 11:25)

__________

Lately, I've just been wandering about. Perhaps you know the feeling. The fact that I've never been so overwhelmed by circumstance in my life has caused me to shut down. To go on auto-pilot, rather. It's a very strange and surreal state. I wander about, doing my duties, but not altogether functioning. I'm here, but I'm not altogether present. I stare off pensively into the middle-distance much more than I used to and, I assure you, much more than I intend to.

So much threatens to swallow me up that I find myself somewhat frozen in a sense, feeling drained of life in general. I'm aware that you likely think I'm being dramatic, and I can't seem to find the energy to argue. I'm simply being transparent, which I cringe at, but perhaps by my transparency I can help someone.

I digress.

As I was praying last night, I remembered Lazarus, whose story is found in John 11. If you don't know, Lazarus was from a town called Bethany and he was a good friend of Jesus, along with his two sisters, Mary and Martha (Mary was the one who anointed Jesus with perfume in chapter 12). Jesus was in Jerusalem when Mary sent word that Lazarus very sick. Though Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters, He stayed where He was, saying, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son can be glorified through it" (verse 4). Jesus didn't arrive in Bethany until Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Upon arrival, He tells the grieving sisters, "I am the resurrection...."

That part is what caught me. He Himself is the raising of the dead? He is the bringing of life? Does anyone here think this is as profound as I do? I know I'm not articulate but is what Jesus is saying here, not just that He raises things/people from the dead, but that He is that very act? That's His persona? This is, I think, more  significant than we give it credit for. 

Now, back to the story. As far as anyone knows, there's no hope for Lazarus. To Mary and Martha, there's no doubt in their minds that they will never see their beloved brother again until "the last day", or "the end of age", or "Resurrection Day" ; when God's kingdom would come, ushering in a time of peace on Earth (little did they know, Resurrection Day was upon them already, though not in the way they had previously thought it so). In the midst of their grief, all they knew was death.

Jesus saw their grief and was deeply moved (verse 33). And in verse 35, we see the shortest verse in the Bible. "Jesus wept". And I have a feeling it wasn't just a silent tear or two. It was in this state of emotion that He said, "Roll away that stone". Which was more than a little confusing to everyone. Come on, Jesus. It's smelly in there. He's been rotting for four days. Why can't we just grieve and not make things harder?

"Did I not tell you," He looked at them and said, "that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

After they rolled the stone away, Jesus prayed. Then, He said three profound words, "Lazarus, come out!"

You can imagine the silence. The weeping stopped. The kids were hushed. And all eyes darted from Jesus to the tomb. And then a man wrapped in grave clothes came stumbling out.

"Take off those grave clothes," He said.

And that's how Resurrection Day came to three very unsuspecting people.

Which brings me to present time, where I pray the Lazarus prayer for me and those close to me; and where all I have are His promises to hold onto, that even though my heart feels that everything is hopeless, Jesus is going to be moved with compassion and is going to say, "Roll away that stone. Come out and take off those grave clothes".

And then, Resurrection Day will come.