Our community is walking through a valley of grief. Car accidents, cancer, murder, illness, tragedy – the whole church family is affected, directly or indirectly. Sometimes, we may wonder if things will ever look up … if the sun will ever shine again on our sadness. Friends, Jesus knows our hurt. He experienced it first-hand when his friend, Lazarus, died unexpectedly.

 

Here is a snippet of a conversation that Jesus shared with one of Lazarus’ sisters, Martha, as told in John 11. Martha had just accused Jesus (in that guilt-trip kind of way that we are so adept at doing) that if he had been around, Lazarus would not have died. Jesus responded back that Lazarus would rise again, and Martha countered that of course he would rise again at the end of time. She didn’t get it, did she? Jesus was talking about RIGHT NOW. Here’s what he replied:

 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

 

“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world” (John 11:25-26, TNIV).

 

If you are familiar with the story, you know that Jesus went to Lazarus’ grave and called him out of it. Lazarus rose from the dead right before everyone’s astonished eyes. Jesus performed an amazing miracle, which foreshadowed his own death and resurrection not too long afterward.

 

When it feels like the grief is overwhelming, remember what Jesus said about himself in the conversation with Martha. Hold fast to what Martha called him, as well. She said that he was the Messiah, the Son of God. Consider what that means. What are some other names of God that we can find in the Bible? Let’s focus on a few during our prayer time this week.