Wednesday, September 11, 2024  

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Today's Scripture
John 11:30–44

Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When 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.”

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus began to weep. So 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?” Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus 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.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. I 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.” When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The 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.” (NRSV)

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Reflection

Of all Jesus’ miracles, this one is the most curious to me. Raising a person believed to be dead. I wonder why Jesus did this? What did he feel doing so? What was he trying to prove? Was there something more personal for him in this particular act?

I’m not sure of the answers to any of these questions. What I can say is that this must have been a truly remarkable act to witness. Surely no one would now doubt Jesus’ teachings going forward, the truth and power of his words.

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Prayer
Lord, help me to recognize the seemingly small acts of love in our world for what they truly are — as remarkable, powerful, and meaningful as any of the larger ones. Amen.

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Written by Lisa Garay, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer© Fourth Presbyterian Church

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