Encouragement

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HE IS HERE - JOHN 11:28-37

“And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met Him. When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” He asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept.

Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not He who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”


Mary had been quietly mourning at home until she heard that Jesus was asking after her. She loved the Lord and made haste to run to Him and meet him in the place outside the village, where Martha had met Him. There may be many reasons why Jesus did not come to the home of Martha and Mary, which had been home to him on several occasions. It could be that he wished to avoid the people who were gathered there, some of who had sought to take His life. I believe it was really because he did not want to walk into the house of mourning and tears, and focus on death, when He had an agenda which spoke Life! In John 11:11, (we looked at it 2 weeks ago) Jesus said to His disciples “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” Jesus was purposeful about what the Father would have Him do; He knew He had to have a focus of faith in God to see the miracle manifested. When God has placed an instruction or a promise in your heart, you need to watch your focus; what you feed your heart and mind, who you spend your time with, and what you meditate on can radically alter the fulfillment of the promise, for better or worse. Stay away from whatever does not build your faith!

Mary and Martha had been focusing on death since their brother fell ill. When they were not mourning his death in their home, they probably mourned at his tomb; so, when Mary left the house, the people with her assumed she was just going to her other place of mourning, and followed her! Once we give in to depression and despair, they are difficult to shake off. It is hard to get away from that heaviness on your heart, until the power of God touches you and sets you free! Mary had to come to the feet of Jesus to be free!
When Mary met the Lord, she expressed the reproach which had been in her heart – the same words Martha had spoken to Him: “If You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Even some of the Jews who accompanied her blamed Him, and questioned the fact that He healed many, but did not save the life of Lazarus!

We often expect God to work within our time frame and in the manner we dictate. We may even remember past miracles, and look to see the same things manifested in our lives today. But we serve a God of great diversity and creative ability; He works outside of every boundary and limitation; He is eternal, omnipotent, infinite God! He is a God of exciting imagination – how else could He have brought forth the world and all its awesome life and color! He is the Lord who says (Isaiah 43:18 & 19) “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” This may sound irreverent, but when we try to put God the Holy Spirit in a box, we literally tie His hands and limit His power, because we are, in effect, trying to make Him work within the framework of our finite human faith and expectation! We get in the physical what we perceive in the spiritual ….

This is often the reason why revivals in hearts and communities stop flowing – because people begin to expect God to do the same thing the same way. This is why well rehearsed plans and programs can never bring the fullest manifestation of the King’s presence. He is not interested in the stale offering from yesterday – He is looking to give us something new and special, which is beyond anything we have imagined! In the Old Testament, the priests in the temple had to be very scrupulous about bringing to God everything which was fresh and new – the sacrifices, the oil, the bread, the offerings. This is what God desires! And He in turn gave fresh manna and fresh miracles to His people each day. His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 2:22). The Prophet Isaiah wrote (55:8 & 9) “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” For all of us waiting for a specific miracle in our lives, perhaps we need to ask God to expand our ‘expectors’ and our imagination, and allow Him to do it all His way – it is the better way for sure! None of the people gathered at the tomb of Lazarus had the faintest idea that Jesus would do a greater miracle than anything they could have imagined or thought about. They were all too busy focusing on the dead past, and the fact that he had not done what they wanted Him to do!

Mary had many concerns and questions in her heart. She was very confused about why her brother had to die of a sickness Jesus could have healed. But she still went to Him when she heard He was looking for her; she still fell at His feet in an attitude of worship and surrender. It was a statement of trust. She knew that although she did not understand, He did. She knew that He loved them and had the answers. Even the Jews acknowledged this, when He wept with them for all to see. He had a reason, a purpose, a plan. He was Jesus their Lord and Savior, and nothing could separate her from His love.

It could be that you have distanced yourself from Jesus because of past or recent disappointments, and the unanswered questions in your heart. Friend, I urge you to be like Mary. Draw near to Him anyway. Seek Him while He may be found. Your heart may be filled with questions, but the answers are all in His hands. In His presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). In His arms, all the doubts are cleared away. At His feet there is light and revelation; there is forgiveness, wholeness, and healing of body and soul. Worship Him – He is worthy of it! Lay your pain at His feet, and see Him take it and make it into something good and beautiful; something of purpose and power to bring life and faith to many.
In summary, let me leave you with a few key words from Mary’s life, to take you through this week:

1)Seek the Lord, don’t struggle alone. He is calling for you.

2)Focus on Faith – expect the unexpected. Nothing is impossible with God!

3)Believe and know that Jesus loves you and cares about the issues of your life.

4)Worship, even when you least feel like it – it will be a turning point for you.

God is reminding us today that instead of believing that "He wasn't here" (as Mary said to Him), we need to remember instead that He is here. (Martha said to Mary "The Teacher is here) and asking for you! He is always here; He is calling to you. He is always with you. He has promised to never leave you! (Hebrews 13:5).

When God is for you, who can be against you! There is a breakthrough on the way for you! You are more than a conqueror in Jesus Christ! He loves you!

Minoli Haththotuwa, 24 May, 2010
www.wingslikeeagles.info

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