THE RESURRECTED LIFE -- Day 31

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Day 31:  Mary Magdalene (John 20: 1-18)

Mary’s heart was broken.  How would she ever remove that horrible picture of her Savior’s crucifixion from her mind?  Forever it would be her last memory of Him.  The sorrow she felt seemed to be squeezing the very life out of her.  How could it have come to this?

Not being able to sleep, she did what any true friend would do.  Gathering a few of the other women who had traveled with Jesus while He was ministering, they left before dawn to anoint His body with the spices that they had previously prepared. 

As they arrived at the tomb, Mary saw that it stood opened.  Fearing that her Lord’s body had been stolen or moved, Mary left the others to go and report to Peter and John.  The news brought to them a new despair, and the three ran quickly back to the tomb to see if they could determine what happened.

Arriving ahead of Mary, Peter and John each looked into the tomb.  What were their eyes seeing, they wondered?  Jesus was gone, and only His wrappings remained.  Strangely, the linen cloths He had been wrapped in were neatly folded.  Then, it struck them.   Jesus had raised from the dead!  Leaving Mary outside the tomb, they ran to tell the others.

Weeping and alone, Mary walked back to the entrance of the tomb and looked in.  Looking back, Mary was startled by a Man she didn’t recognize.  Confusion filled her mind as He spoke to her.  Once again, she turned to look at the tomb and the large stone not far away.  Would she ever be able to piece it all together?

“Mary!”  the Man called out.  Turning around, Mary finally recognized Him.  “Teacher!” she exclaimed.  Running to Him, she fell to the ground and kissed and hugged His nail-scarred feet.  Her Savior lived!  He had risen on the third day, just as He said!

What do you do when you feel hopeless?  Where do you look when things don’t make sense?  When your life has been turned upside down, to what do you cling?  Is Jesus your first answer to these questions?

THE RESURRECTED LIFE -- Day 9

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Day 9:  Lazarus (John 11: 1-46)

Lazarus was dead.  Now nothing could be done.  “Why had the Master not come?” Mary and Martha questioned in the depths of their grief.  They knew for sure that He could have healed their dear brother.  Why, oh why, had He not come?

Four days after the burial of Lazarus, his sisters heard that Jesus was just a short distance away.  Martha ran to meet Him immediately, and later Mary did as well.  Feeling great compassion for their overwhelming sorrow, Jesus Himself began to weep with them.

Wanting to see where they had buried Lazarus, Jesus asked to be taken there.  Seeing that a stone covered the opening, Jesus asked the men there to remove it.  Such a strange request! Surely there would be a great odor by now.  Yet the men complied, and with a great shout, Jesus yelled, “Lazarus!  Come forth!”  For a moment nothing happened, but then what looked like a mummy stood at the opening.  Lazarus, wrapped in burial linens from head to toe, was standing before the crowd—ALIVE!

Why had these precious friends of Jesus been put through such an agonizing set of circumstances?  If Jesus knew that He would raise Lazarus from the dead, why didn’t He just heal him to begin with?

Often Jesus allows us to experience painful events in order to bring glory to Himself through us.  Sometimes He allows our faith to be tested, and at the same time, brings others to a new level of faith because they are watching God work in us.  God was glorified when He brought Lazarus back to life.  He and his sisters also would return all the glory back to God because they were believers in Him.  Glory came to God when Martha and Mary’s faith was tested and strengthened by this trial, for they had never seen someone be raised from the dead; healed, yes, but not raised to life.  Now they knew Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life!  Their faith was tested, but some of the witnesses of Lazarus’ resurrection believed in Jesus, and came to faith, for the first time. 

Have you considered your trials a way for God to be glorified?  Are you growing in the tests?  Can others clearly see Jesus through your faith?