From a Pastor's heart: Trying to understand God in loss...
John 11 tells the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.
The story goes that it is reported to Jesus in advance that Lazarus, a close friend of His, had become ill and would soon die. Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters, whom He also knew very well, Mary and Martha (vs.2-5). Upon hearing the news, Jesus did something we may find puzzling - He stayed where He was two more days instead of rushing to heal Lazarus (or even speaking healing to Lazarus from a distance, which He had done before to others - Matt. 15, Luke 7, John 4).
When Jesus finally arrived, Lazarus had been dead in the grave four days (v.39)....
On the surface, this is just as puzzling to us as it was to them. Why did Jesus wait? Why didn't He heal right away when they pleaded with Him to do so? Why did He refrain from answering the prayers of those Scripture claims He loved?
We know this scenario in our world all too well, unfortunately. In the midst of stories of miraculous healing and answered prayers we hear from time to time, there are contrasting stories of death, loss and tragedy, where prayers for healing and protection seem to go unanswered.
Why does Jesus wait to do anything? Why does He not help every time we call upon Him in times of tragedy?
Lazarus' sisters, Mary and Martha, along with others, asked these same questions of Jesus, and passionately did they ask these questions. While "many of the Jews" had come to console and mourn with Mary and Martha, likely from Jerusalem which was close to Bethany, Jesus arrived in Bethany. When Martha found out, she went and found Him and said what we all say when tragedy happens and our calls for help don't seem to be answered: "Jesus, if You had been here" this wouldn't have happened (v.21).
After Martha came Mary. Mary "rose quickly and went out" of the house, in such a rush and so abruptly that it caught the attention of the people mourning with her in the house, so they followed (vs.29-31). She throws herself at Jesus' feet in despair, as we tend to do when we lose someone we love. She also says, "Jesus, if you had been here" my brother would still be here (v.32).
It's at this point where you really see the full emotion of the scene: Mary is on the floor in tears, the family and friends who followed her were also weeping, and seeing all of this, Jesus began weeping. All the while, the murmurs are passing about the room: "Couldn't He have stopped this? I mean, He's healed the blind before..." (my paraphrase of v.37).
I have personally witnessed this scene far too many times in ministry.
--I've recently seen a mother and her family weeping bitterly after the loss of a son in a tragic accident I still can't comprehend. WHY did that happen? Where was Jesus?
--Not too long ago, I sat in the hospital room with a husband and his family, whose wife/mother had been taken into surgery. All was well, and then it wasn't. The doctors came into the consultation room, heads down, dejected, in shock. We all knew what was coming next......There was bitter weeping, shock, "WHY??" ringing throughout that confined consultation room. Why did that happen? Where was Jesus? The One who has healed the sick, cast out demons, defeated death....where was He?
--There have been a number of funerals I've performed and others that have taken place in the lives of many that I know within the past couple of years.....several just in 2018. Why now Lord? We weren't ready for them to go....
--My wife and I have been married 8 years. For all 8 years, I've witnessed a woman whom I love suffer from the effects of cerebral-palsy. Each year has had its own challenges, some easier and some worse. Although this isn't a story of death/loss, it still falls into the realm of 'tough times.' Why doesn't Jesus miraculously heal? Why does Jesus stay where He is instead of coming when we pray for relief?
I do my best as a pastor to make this point clear to every family I come in contact with at a funeral, when the time is right of course: Nobody can answer the "WHY" question on this side of the Kingdom. No Pastor, missionary, Pope, theologian, Bible scholar, scientist, friend, or stranger can answer this question. Only God has this answer. This truth hurts, but it is the reality of the situation.
Where do we go, then, when trying to understand God in times of loss? What do we do or say or think when we find ourselves in Mary and Martha's situation?
In this same story, Jesus shares a couple of insights:
"It [this illness/results of] is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." (v.4)
-->Somehow, some way, Jesus does show up in our times of loss, and He gains the glory from it. Furthermore, He promises to never leave us. He will show up. (Matt. 28:20; Heb. 13:5)
"After saying these things, He said to them, 'Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.'" (v.11)
-->This is digging a bit deeper into theological truths proclaimed elsewhere in Scripture, but the fact still remains - Jesus is the resurrection and the life. He would raise Lazarus back to physical life. Even if our loved ones are not miraculously healed or rescued, if they are in Christ, they will have eternal life with Jesus even after leaving this earth (v.25-26). "Jesus said to [Martha], 'Your brother will rise again.'" (v.23)
Some final thoughts on a very tough subject:
1) Even as a pastor, I struggle with this just like Mary and Martha did. I still ask the Lord "Why," at times, when the prayers of His children for healing or for rescue seem to go unanswered. Pastors don't have a firm grasp on this either....
2) Resting in the fact of who Jesus is and in the promises He made to us, namely of there being guaranteed life after death with Him, are the only true sources of comfort in these difficult times of trying to understand God in loss and/or trials.
3) We (I) tend to quickly forget that this world is under the Genesis 3 curse and it has been ever since. This world is messed up because of our sin and it only gets worse by the day because sin is ever increasing. God is still God and He still works miracles, but we also must understand that the miraculous are just that, miraculous - they happen few and far between - even in Scripture. Although the curse is a painful reality in our lives, we must remember that it is very real and it effects everything.
4) God loves us. Jesus proved that in this story as well as in the rest of Scripture; not to mention the greatest display of that love was on the cross. Jesus loved Lazarus and His family, yet He still allowed Lazarus to die for a higher purpose and a greater good - His glory and His will.
This is from a pastor's heart. I hope it helps you in some way, whoever may be reading this.
We hate tragedy and loss but these are unfortunate realities in our fallen world.
But praise God we aren't stuck there! Because of Jesus, we have hope that tragedy and loss aren't pointless. We have hope that there is a glorious reunion waiting for us and our loved ones who are in Christ. And we know we are loved and cared for more than we can ever imagine by our heavenly Father.
Remember these things, reader, and as Mary and Martha displayed, continue trusting in Jesus and in His good purposes because He loves you.
The story goes that it is reported to Jesus in advance that Lazarus, a close friend of His, had become ill and would soon die. Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters, whom He also knew very well, Mary and Martha (vs.2-5). Upon hearing the news, Jesus did something we may find puzzling - He stayed where He was two more days instead of rushing to heal Lazarus (or even speaking healing to Lazarus from a distance, which He had done before to others - Matt. 15, Luke 7, John 4).
When Jesus finally arrived, Lazarus had been dead in the grave four days (v.39)....
On the surface, this is just as puzzling to us as it was to them. Why did Jesus wait? Why didn't He heal right away when they pleaded with Him to do so? Why did He refrain from answering the prayers of those Scripture claims He loved?
We know this scenario in our world all too well, unfortunately. In the midst of stories of miraculous healing and answered prayers we hear from time to time, there are contrasting stories of death, loss and tragedy, where prayers for healing and protection seem to go unanswered.
Why does Jesus wait to do anything? Why does He not help every time we call upon Him in times of tragedy?
Lazarus' sisters, Mary and Martha, along with others, asked these same questions of Jesus, and passionately did they ask these questions. While "many of the Jews" had come to console and mourn with Mary and Martha, likely from Jerusalem which was close to Bethany, Jesus arrived in Bethany. When Martha found out, she went and found Him and said what we all say when tragedy happens and our calls for help don't seem to be answered: "Jesus, if You had been here" this wouldn't have happened (v.21).
After Martha came Mary. Mary "rose quickly and went out" of the house, in such a rush and so abruptly that it caught the attention of the people mourning with her in the house, so they followed (vs.29-31). She throws herself at Jesus' feet in despair, as we tend to do when we lose someone we love. She also says, "Jesus, if you had been here" my brother would still be here (v.32).
It's at this point where you really see the full emotion of the scene: Mary is on the floor in tears, the family and friends who followed her were also weeping, and seeing all of this, Jesus began weeping. All the while, the murmurs are passing about the room: "Couldn't He have stopped this? I mean, He's healed the blind before..." (my paraphrase of v.37).
I have personally witnessed this scene far too many times in ministry.
--I've recently seen a mother and her family weeping bitterly after the loss of a son in a tragic accident I still can't comprehend. WHY did that happen? Where was Jesus?
--Not too long ago, I sat in the hospital room with a husband and his family, whose wife/mother had been taken into surgery. All was well, and then it wasn't. The doctors came into the consultation room, heads down, dejected, in shock. We all knew what was coming next......There was bitter weeping, shock, "WHY??" ringing throughout that confined consultation room. Why did that happen? Where was Jesus? The One who has healed the sick, cast out demons, defeated death....where was He?
--There have been a number of funerals I've performed and others that have taken place in the lives of many that I know within the past couple of years.....several just in 2018. Why now Lord? We weren't ready for them to go....
--My wife and I have been married 8 years. For all 8 years, I've witnessed a woman whom I love suffer from the effects of cerebral-palsy. Each year has had its own challenges, some easier and some worse. Although this isn't a story of death/loss, it still falls into the realm of 'tough times.' Why doesn't Jesus miraculously heal? Why does Jesus stay where He is instead of coming when we pray for relief?
I do my best as a pastor to make this point clear to every family I come in contact with at a funeral, when the time is right of course: Nobody can answer the "WHY" question on this side of the Kingdom. No Pastor, missionary, Pope, theologian, Bible scholar, scientist, friend, or stranger can answer this question. Only God has this answer. This truth hurts, but it is the reality of the situation.
Where do we go, then, when trying to understand God in times of loss? What do we do or say or think when we find ourselves in Mary and Martha's situation?
In this same story, Jesus shares a couple of insights:
"It [this illness/results of] is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." (v.4)
-->Somehow, some way, Jesus does show up in our times of loss, and He gains the glory from it. Furthermore, He promises to never leave us. He will show up. (Matt. 28:20; Heb. 13:5)
"After saying these things, He said to them, 'Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.'" (v.11)
-->This is digging a bit deeper into theological truths proclaimed elsewhere in Scripture, but the fact still remains - Jesus is the resurrection and the life. He would raise Lazarus back to physical life. Even if our loved ones are not miraculously healed or rescued, if they are in Christ, they will have eternal life with Jesus even after leaving this earth (v.25-26). "Jesus said to [Martha], 'Your brother will rise again.'" (v.23)
Some final thoughts on a very tough subject:
1) Even as a pastor, I struggle with this just like Mary and Martha did. I still ask the Lord "Why," at times, when the prayers of His children for healing or for rescue seem to go unanswered. Pastors don't have a firm grasp on this either....
2) Resting in the fact of who Jesus is and in the promises He made to us, namely of there being guaranteed life after death with Him, are the only true sources of comfort in these difficult times of trying to understand God in loss and/or trials.
3) We (I) tend to quickly forget that this world is under the Genesis 3 curse and it has been ever since. This world is messed up because of our sin and it only gets worse by the day because sin is ever increasing. God is still God and He still works miracles, but we also must understand that the miraculous are just that, miraculous - they happen few and far between - even in Scripture. Although the curse is a painful reality in our lives, we must remember that it is very real and it effects everything.
4) God loves us. Jesus proved that in this story as well as in the rest of Scripture; not to mention the greatest display of that love was on the cross. Jesus loved Lazarus and His family, yet He still allowed Lazarus to die for a higher purpose and a greater good - His glory and His will.
This is from a pastor's heart. I hope it helps you in some way, whoever may be reading this.
We hate tragedy and loss but these are unfortunate realities in our fallen world.
But praise God we aren't stuck there! Because of Jesus, we have hope that tragedy and loss aren't pointless. We have hope that there is a glorious reunion waiting for us and our loved ones who are in Christ. And we know we are loved and cared for more than we can ever imagine by our heavenly Father.
Remember these things, reader, and as Mary and Martha displayed, continue trusting in Jesus and in His good purposes because He loves you.
Amen Thank you for sharing sharing... My husband has also suffered for many years.He never gives up on Christ. It's God that keeps us going.
ReplyDeleteAmen, same here. Thank you for sharing your comment with me. Stay strong & keep the faith, Philippians 4:13.
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