“Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany.” John 11:1 NKJV
“A need you can’t ignore is an opportunity God won’t avoid.”
My thoughts today are about “need you can’t ignore.”
Many of us live our lives pretty well requiring or wanting a minimum of help, or so we like to think. When things are fairly normal and manageable, we can maintain the illusion of self-sufficiency, but everyone will face a need you can’t ignore – times or situations when you are way over your head, well beyond your ability, and stretched past your capacity. It must be a vestige of the common fallenness, false pride, and vain independence that lay within the human heart that we want to create and sustain an illusion of one’s individual adequacy. Read 2 Corinthians 3:4-5. NLT – “our only power and success comes from God.” Now that’s the truth all the time – good times and bad!
Every toddler wants to do things all by themselves that they are not yet capable of doing. They would love to pour their own drink but we know, on their own, they will make a mess; they want to venture off on their own to explore, but they don’t know the dangers in the street or alone in a store or shopping center. Some day they will be more ready; right now they aren’t. Sound familiar?
Where will you turn when you truly need help? Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha, faced such a situation, one they had not anticipated. Who can foresee a crisis? “Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany.” John 11:1 NKJV. Such a simple statement announces a desperate family crisis, a need you can’t ignore. (Read the whole story, John 11:1-45).
A health crisis quickly exposes previous illusions, but there are many things that do so as well – a job loss, a major financial setback, a home foreclosure, a rebellious teen, an unfaithful spouse, an unexpected death, a physical disability, a natural disaster, a despoiled reputation, a false accusation, or many such things for which you had not prepared. Mary and Martha turned to Jesus; Jesus is where you should start every time, not just when you are desperate and scared.
Some observations: (1) their need did not take them to Jesus; their friendship did. They had a history with Jesus, and He with them! Relationships are invaluable, clearly evident when you are in critical need. Before they imagined a need they could not ignore, they had established a valued relationship, often entertaining Jesus in their home. (See Luke 10:38-42/John 11:2-3/12:3 NKJV). They had reason for confidence in Jesus’ particular interest in Lazarus’ well-being. They knew Jesus cared. “Casting all your care on Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 NKJV. How would you describe your relationship with God when not in crisis mode? Need repairing? Updating?
Another observation: (2) the degree of difficulty is of no concern to the Almighty. What seems impossible for you is not even difficult for Him. Put your crisis in perspective with consideration of God’s unlimited possibilities. “What is impossible from a human perspective is possible with God . . for nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 18:27/1:37 NLT. A need you can’t ignore is an opportunity God won’t avoid. The end of their story was new life – an unbelievable resurrection, disaster averted; what will your story be – new hope and praise? Read Psalm 138:7-8 NLT.
My prayer for you today is that your story ends in an amazing miracle of grace.