In the Bible, there is a story about one of Jesus' close friends, Lazarus (John 11). The Bible says that someone came to Jesus while He was out ministering and told Him that Lazarus was sick and that Jesus should come. Jesus didn't come to His close friend's aid. In fact, He PROLONGED His time away so that Lazarus was dead for 4 days!! Jesus didn't even make haste to heal His friend. He let him die.
Maybe you feel like you are at this point. You have done everything that all the marriage books have said. You have done everything that your pastor has said. You've asked our advice and have done that too. And none of it has worked. This is not to say that what you did was wrong. But, maybe the Lord has something else in mind for what He is doing with you. Maybe He is allowing everything to get to its absolute worst state....even to the point of stinking like rotting flesh.
Back to John 11....Jesus told His disciples before they left that this sickness was not unto death but to the glory of God. Even if it looked like death, smelled like death, and WAS death...it was not too great for Jesus. What Jesus was going to do was going to glorify the Father and cause those that did not believe to believe. Jesus came to tomb, prayed a prayer, and then called Lazarus out from the tomb. AND LAZARUS RESPONDED!!!
So, your marriage is dead. You've signed the divorce papers. You or your spouse has moved out. Everything that can be done has been done. Your hurt, wounded, and confused. You don't understand how God could have let this happen. Why didn't God step in and make this nightmare go away? Why couldn't He save your marriage like some of the testimonies you have heard about? Why couldn't your story be more like Josh and Serena's story? Why? Because God's intention for you and your marriage is different than anyone else's.
Jesus spoke plainly that Lazarus was dead and that He was going to wait before going to him. It may seem like Jesus is not showing up in your marriage. It may seem like He has forgotten you and your plight. It may seem like He doesn't care. But, oh, how Jesus cares!!! He cared so much for Lazarus that He wept when He saw the tomb. He weeps at where He sees you right now. He weeps for what you are faithfully walking through.
He knows that you called for Him. He heard your every prayer. His heart breaks for the same things that have broken yours. But, He is not sitting by idly watching you deal with all of this. He is actively and purposefully working out His plan in you. He waited for Lazarus to die; He might be waiting for your marriage to fully die. Why would Jesus be so cruel, you might ask? But, He's not being cruel. He is working so that the Father will receive the most glory out of the situation. He is waiting for death to set in so that the full power of the Almighty can be seen and easily recognized through the complete restoration that he is causing to happen in your life and marriage.
Don't assume that because Jesus has waited in showing up that He doesn't care. Don't assume that because the marriage is dead that He is not powerful enough to speak life back into it. Look at the words of Jesus in John 11...
25Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life:
he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.
Believest thou this?
And look at the prayer that Jesus prayed...
vs. 41 Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
42And I knew that thou hearest me always:
but because of the people which stand by I said it,
that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
It's NEVER too late!! NEVER!!!
Believest thou this?
Josh and Serena
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