Turbo-Charged Faith Ride

FB Smit imagines accompanying Mary and Martha when Jesus arrives at Lazarus’ tomb.

In the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of John, distraught sisters Martha and Mary wring their hands over their brother, Lazarus, who is on his deathbed. The place where Christ was staying is a distance away, but the sisters’ faith is solid. They immediately send word of Lazarus’ illness to Jesus.

If there was ever a 9-1-1 emergency, this is it. Now, Jesus loved Lazarus, but instead of coming with sirens blaring at the speed of an ambulance,

He remained for two days in the place where he was. (John 11:6)

Finally, He shows up after Lazarus is good and dead.

Both Mary and Martha lament,

“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21, 32)

They believed that only Christ could have and would have healed their brother from his sickness.

At this point, Christ asks to go to the place where Lazarus is buried. When they get there, Jesus says to take away the stone of the tomb. Martha warns, 

“Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.”  (John 11:39)

Jesus replies,

“Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40)

Mary and Martha have no idea that Jesus is about to recalibrate their sturdy and solid faith. In my mind, I imagine I am there with the sisters.

Jesus calls, “Lazarus, come out!” and the dead man walks out of the tomb, alive and well.

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"If you believe you will see the glory of God."  Martha and Mary believed, but Jesus saw fit to accelerate a reliable ride. #CatholicMom

Even though I've read this story many times, I catch my breath at the sight of Lazarus; reading the story is not nearly the same as imagining myself there.

"If you believe you will see the glory of God."  Martha and Mary believed, but Jesus saw fit to accelerate a reliable ride.

For sure, this story is a foretaste of an even greater miracle that’s about to happen: Christ’s Resurrection. Although I've read the eyewitness accounts of Jesus rising from the dead many times, I smack my lips and hold on tight for the turbo-charged ride of being there.

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