Thursday, July 3, 2014

That They May Believe

John 11:41-46

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." 

Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth." And he who had died came bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."

Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. 


I'm sure no one could have known what was about to transpire. People were filled with grief for and comforting Martha and Mary. Jesus had been late in arriving. Lazarus was dead and buried four days already. If only He had gotten there sooner...

But it was the Father's will. It was His will to bring about an even greater understanding and belief that this Man who said He was the Son of God. They needed more proof. All part of the Father's will. That we all might believe.

What more proof do we need? Today Jesus still brings life. We are all covered in grave clothes until we are awakened to who this Man is. We walk with our hands and feet bound, and our heads wrapped that we might not see. But when Jesus becomes a true reality to us, those cloths are are loosed and we are set free. He asks us all to come forth. Free to see, to believe, to begin a new life, in Christ through Christ alone. And part of that purpose for our own freedom is that others may believe.

Jesus will not be a one time thing in my life. He is a forever blessing. If I believe what He says, I have been set free of my own grave clothes. I have been resurrected spiritually. And He longs to do this with each of us. Jesus says it better than I can:

John 8:36 - Therefore if the Son makes you free, you are free indeed.

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