if You had been here
Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me. And I knew that Thou hearest Me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that Thou hast sent Me. And when He thus had spoken, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth.
John 11:1-53 KJV (excerpt verses 40-44)
It is no small thing that Jesus called forth a dead man back to life, but I see the beauty in the moments leading up to the miracle. There is much to learn about Jesus from this beautiful account in the gospel of John.
Jesus never lies. In verse 4 it says that when Jesus was told that Lazarus was sick, He said, “this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.” We have the privilege of reading the beginning and the end of this story. Lazarus’ sickness was indeed not unto death, though he did die for four days. “God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent; hath He said and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?” Numbers 23:19.
Jesus wants to help us with unbelief. Our Lord says to His disciples, “I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him” (verse 15). It seems the Lord wanted to deal with a greater issue of the heart: unbelief. He was willing to let everyone see Lazarus die rather than leave them with sick hearts. Jesus is inviting us out of unbelief and into belief. Jesus says in Mark 9:23, “if thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” If Abraham’s belief in God was counted unto him for righteousness (Romans 4:3), what then is unbelief counted unto us for? We read this about Abraham, “he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform.” Romans 4:20, 21.
Jesus is always on time. Martha and Mary both said to Jesus “Lord, if Thou hadst been there, my brother had not died” John 11:21, 32. “If He had been there” indicates that Jesus was not there when they wanted Him to be there. Was Jesus rushing from one place to another? In a race against time to not miss the moments of Lazarus’ death? No. Jesus came when He intended to. He did not miss His appointed time. Although the Lord lovingly gives us glimpses of the future, I believe that often, time is an aspect He does not always reveal. In our spirits we may feel the promise is coming ‘soon,’ but we seldom know exactly when. In Acts 1:7, Jesus says, “it is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power.” We may not know when God is going to fulfil the promise, but we must learn to rest in knowing that He is always on time.
Jesus brings hope. Our Lord’s response to Martha’s statements was a beautiful invitation to have hope reignited, “thy brother shall rise again” John 11: 23. Not only hope in the promise, but hope in Him, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” John 11:25,26.
Jesus is with us in grief. He did not come and perform the miracle the moment He laid eyes on Martha. He waited for Mary. “When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled” John 11:33. We later read that He wept. They weeped, but He groaned, was troubled and wept. In our moments of deep grief, the Lord Himself groans and weeps. You are not weeping alone. He is here. He is with you in this moment. Psalm 34:18 says, “the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Will you let the Lord’s presence be your Balm of Gilead? Will you let His nearness in this moment heal you?
Jesus prays. In the midst of everything, He intercedes for us. “But this Man, because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them” Hebrews 7:24,25. Jesus lifted up His eyes to heaven, on behalf of His beloved friends, and said, “Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard me. And I knew that Thou hearest Me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that Thou hast sent me” John 11:41,42.
Jesus performs a miracle. “And when He thus had spoken, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him and let him go” John 11:43,44. He beautifully brought His dear friend back to life. He moved in power. He spoke a word and everything changed in that moment.
Jesus saves more souls. While this miracle must have been very close to Jesus’ heart, we see it changed the lives of many bystanders. “Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on Him” John 11:45. He says to Martha, didn’t I say to you, if you would believe, You will see the glory of God? (verse 40). When God is glorified in our lives, others see Him too.
As I read John 11 and wrote this, the Holy Spirit ministered to me about the journey I am embarking on to attend Jesus School in Orlando, Florida. I submitted a leave of absence to my employer for the upcoming year. I packed my bags and bought a one-way plane ticket to Orlando. I said quiet goodbyes in my heart to the city I have grown up in and to the people I grew up with. I made peace with this part of my journey. However, the deadline for me to have the application for my visa submitted has passed. The family that I thought would sponsor me cannot do so. In this place, my promise is dead. If He had been there, it would not have died. The thing you were dreaming for, waiting for, praying for and believing for, has died, too. This is encouraging. This is where the Lord wants us.
Will you let the Lord reveal the glory of God through your life and your circumstances? Will you let the Holy Spirit minister healing to you so that you can believe again?
I’d love you to pray this prayer with me:
Dear God,
I come to you in the Name and righteousness of Jesus. Holy Spirit, reveal the Son to me. I know that You are not a liar. Help me with my unbelief! I do not know when this promise will come to pass, but You do. Thank You for the hope that You bring. Thank You for Your Presence. Thank You for the healing that You bring when You are near. Thank You for making intercession for me. Thank You for the miracle You are about to perform. Thank You for moving in power on my behalf. May God be glorified in my life and through my circumstances. May souls be saved as they witness You working in my life.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
