John 11:32-44 (NRSV)
Read John 11:32-44 on biblegateway.com
Verse 32When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
Verse 33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. Verse 34He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." Verse 35Jesus began to weep. Verse 36So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" Verse 37But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?" Verse 38Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Verse 39Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days." Verse 40Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" Verse 41So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, "Father, I thank you for having heard me. Verse 42I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me." Verse 43When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" Verse 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."
Devotion
As Lazarus stumbles out of the grave, Jesus doesn’t take a bow of adulation for the miracle. Rather, he says, “Thank you, Father.” Surely, our Lord senses that in his suffering love he will be repeating the dying and rising.
Nathan Solderblom said: “The cross unveils in its divine brutality, nothing less than God’s own love.” Jesus died a malefactor for all to see. What is unseen is the heart of God’s burning desire to save us all. What is unseen, and yet can be trusted, is the will of the compassionate Christ to take hold of everyone who suffers or is afraid. His love is stronger than any unbelieving heart.
His “Thank you, Father” is a work meant for all of us. His love is stronger than our unbelieving hearts. His “Thank you, Father” proclaims life-giving love for our suffering, despairing, unconverted world.
Prayer
As I begin this day with a "thank you, Lord", may I hear the assurance "you are welcome...always welcome." Amen.