“Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha… So the sisters sent to him, saying, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill…’
“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea again…’ Then Jesus told them plainly, ‘Lazarus has died…’
“Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days… So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again…’
“Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died…’
“Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?’ John 11:1,3,5-7,14,17,20-23,32,38-40
The women’s faith was strong. They knew their friend Jesus and what He was capable of. Immediately upon their brother’s illness, they summoned Him to come and heal. Jesus knew their faith and as He so exquisitely does, intended to make it even stronger, deeper. What He would do involved their participation and firsthand exposure to power they’d not previously known. He is always about God’s glory and its manifestation to and in His children. (John 11:38-44)
In situations pressing and all-consuming, our behavior belies our boast. We purport to believe God is mighty yet dictate how He should work. We claim He is infinitely able but prescribe what He should do. We assert that He’s high and supreme, yet trudge along in the bog of weak trust, limited vision, and low expectations. The Lord challenges insufficient understanding of His wide and eternal purposes to push the limits of our faith in Him.
Where is He calling us to deeper trust? Where is He breaking open our preconceived notions and anemic expectations by conviction, or drastic and unexpected changes? How are we wrangling with human parameters and efforts and failing to take Him at His powerful word? Would we repent of pride and shallow faith, and watch, listen, and willingly follow Him to new and higher peaks of trust?
The high and holy One thinks and does far more than we can imagine, and He stretches us to believe and experience far more than we do. He orchestrates circumstances to take us to new heights of faith and greater tenacity to grasp His power and marvel at His splendor. In what situations will we trust Him anew this day? (1 Kings 8:27; Isaiah 55:8-9; Ephesians 3:20)
Lord, do what is necessary to increase my faith and magnify Your glory in and through my life.
As the rain and snow 