I am Glad I was not there.
Imagine Jesus saying that. There are things that transpire because God sees our deep need to know Him better. We may possess to a high degree the three things below,
Mental ascent
Verbal affirmation
Visible and verifiable consecration
However, these do not bring us to truly knowing Him. Listen to the Words of Martha and Mary,
"Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." John 11:21
"Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." John 11:32
His Disciples had Mental assent, Verbal affirmation and Visible consecration, but they did not get it. Much like us. Many times, God allows things to happen in our lives to bring us to a point of truly understanding him. This understanding is realized, when something dies.
Lazarus was an object lesson. He was sick, he died, was mourned, wrapped in grave clothes, placed in a tomb, a large stone was placed in front of it. For four days, his body, his dead, decaying body waited. Jesus could have shown up two days after his funeral, but he waited two more days. No matter when he would have showed up, Lazarus was still dead. He waited two more days for one reason it would seem. To demonstrate the power to give life to a dead thing.
"And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe;" John 11:15 KJV
God wants you to know something about him that can only truly be appreciated by experience. In this story, Lazarus is the object lesson. In your life, the object it applies to could be many things.
Lazarus may be a promise, a longstanding prayer, a dream or ministry. Lazarus and his experience you may identify with feeling without life, confined in a dark place, wrapped in the garments of death, even your circumstance and nature stinking because of the hopelessness of your situation.
This morning in preparation the Lord spoke the things below to me toshare with you.
I will be a light to you in your dark place. I will bring healing to your brokenness. If you will seek my face! Watch and see what I will do when you commit to seek, till ye find. When you knock, until the door opens. To ask, until the answer comes. When they have buried it. When it has been sealed behind a rock. When the band has played and the crying has happened. Just because it is dead, don't mean your promise will stay dead. Sometimes things have to die to live. I am the resurrection and the life, though it were dead, yet
shall it live!
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."
Your Promise, your dream, your ministry may be dead. However, that is the best place for it, for it could never truly live, until you have truly died.
I hear the voice of the Lord calling your name¦. "Come Forth"
In Him, By Him, Through Him,
Scott Phillips
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