LAZARUS

Today’s Reading: John 11

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).

These are tombs of the sons of Hezir found in the Kidron Valley between the Mount of Olives and the Old City walls of Jerusalem. Hezir was one of the priests in the time of King David listed in 1 Chronicles 24:15.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: John 11:25

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live…”

It’s natural to fear death as it remains filled with the unknown. Nevertheless, we can say with Job, “I know that my Redeemer lives” (Job 19:25). People everywhere are filled with despair when they contemplate their death because they think of it as the final reality. Jesus exploded that myth and opened the doors for us to see the triumph, the joy, the celebration that is ours through believing in Him. This is the message that our dying world needs to hear. To move forward into the Church and to discover where we come into the resurrection picture, please read the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 15.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, thank You for weeping over the loss of Lazarus. You are there for me when I mourn. Please give me grace to live with the secure knowledge that I need not fear death. Please enable me to weep with those who weep, bringing to all the comfort with which I am comforted. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I’ve spoken the words of our key verse at many graves. Without fail, I think on those occasions, “This could be the moment of Christ’s return,” as is written in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. After Norma-Jean and I sold her birthplace farm, we wanted to take all of our children and grandchildren to visit my family roots. To do this, we rented a bus (it had the seats around the sides rather than behind each other). What a great time of family fellowship we had as we visited significant sites from my childhood. One stop we made was at the cemetery in the little village of Elgin, Ontario, where we visited the graves of my ancestors on my father’s side, right back to my great-great-grandmother. Of course, I had stories about them all. Then I did something which shocked my children and grandchildren. You may think this was morbid, but I wanted to make the point that we need not fear death. I laid down on the spot where, if Jesus does not come first, my body will be buried. I could not help but notice some shocked looks on faces around me. Then, those looks gave way to laughter. We rejoiced in our faith that this will not be my final state. Norma-Jean’s plot is beside mine. She informed everyone that she believes Jesus will return before she needs it. She made it clear that she does not intend to use that plot! She often says, “I’m looking for the ‘upper-taker,’ not the undertaker!”

Yours for life in this world and in the world to come,

David