Amazing Words!
It must have been the darkest time of their lives. For several days their brother's health had worsened. There was no hospital to which he could go. In desperation they had sent a message to their friend to get here as soon as he could. He, they knew, had extraordinary powers and could heal the sick. He would be sure to come when he got the message. What they were not to know when the message was sent that it would be too late. Their friend could never have got there in time.
Now it felt as if their hearts had been torn out. Friends uttered kind words and offered sympathy, but nothing could chase away the darkness that had descended on their lives as they laid their brothers remains to rest in the garden tomb. But now word had reached them that he had come. He was here, and people were saying that if only he had been here, their brother would have been alive. It was Martha who went out to meet him, unable to rest at home with her weeping sister, and needing to see his face, to hear him speak, even to just know that he was with them in this dreadful darkness.
She found herself echoing what others were saying, and what she knew wee; "If you had been here my brother would not have died..." There was no recrimination in those words. She knew that if it had been possible, he would have been there. Then came those absolutely amazing words from her lips. "But I know that even now, God will give you whatever you ask."
"WHATEVER"! Did she actually believe that? Whatever? Could she have imagined what would take place in a few moments? Her amazing friend spoke of life after this life but, more than that, that he was the source of eternal life. Quietly she affirmed her faith in him, still not knowing what would follow.
In the darkest moments of our lives, it is easy to dwell on the "If only..." moments. Her sister, in her grief, seemed to be stuck in that limited imagination. "If only you had been here my brother would not have died". But Martha was looking up and looking forward, refusing to allow disappointment to cloud her vision of what still could be. "But even now" are truly amazing words. It has always seemed a paradox that the sister who chose to sit at the feet of Jesus listening to his words, is not the woman of faith at this time. But it is not about what we hear or read that make the difference. It is about what we believe.
So it was that, after tears had been shed,a call rang out for the dead to rise again, and Lazarus came out from the grave in which he had lain for four days.
For many people in the world today, the darkest moments have come as their loved ones have been lost. I too, have experienced loss as my beloved Doreen has passed into the presence of the Savior she loved and served. 45 years of marriage brought to an end by the ravages of Alzheimer's Disease. A few years before it had become apparent that the person with whom I had fallen in love had faded as the disease took its relentless toll. But I had determined that if the woman I had fallen in love with was no longer available, then I would deliberately learn to love the woman I still lived with. And so I did, in the good moments and the bad. And towards the end, the woman I fell in love with some 46 years before returned to me, as if risen from the dead. Moments of deep affection and words of deep love repeatedly passed one from the other.
And now I have my "Even now..." moment. For me, the passion to help other people find salvation in Christ, to know him as Saviour and friend, has been rekindled as I think of the thousands passing into eternity without the hope that burns in my heart, leaving behind grieving loved ones without that "Even now" comfort. As millions of Christians rise to the challenge of being good neighbours to friends in need, I pray that somehow, God will help us to share something of our faith that can look through the darkest days to a better and more glorious future. People need to hear the good news. They need Jesus! There is an amazing opportunity for us to be God's instrument to bring hope to replace despair. We need wisdom and courage to find and use the appropriate words, but we must never let the opportunity slip.
And in your dark moments, may you so trust in Jesus that you can say with confidence,"Even now..."
Please join us online at 8.00 (BST) this Easter Sunday Morning when Gordon Banks and I will be leading some Easter thoughts and worship. You need to register in advance. TO DO THIS PLEASE CLICK THIS LINK NOW.
God bless you. Stay safe.
Barry
Rev Barry Osborne
CEO,Rural Mission Solutions
It must have been the darkest time of their lives. For several days their brother's health had worsened. There was no hospital to which he could go. In desperation they had sent a message to their friend to get here as soon as he could. He, they knew, had extraordinary powers and could heal the sick. He would be sure to come when he got the message. What they were not to know when the message was sent that it would be too late. Their friend could never have got there in time.
Now it felt as if their hearts had been torn out. Friends uttered kind words and offered sympathy, but nothing could chase away the darkness that had descended on their lives as they laid their brothers remains to rest in the garden tomb. But now word had reached them that he had come. He was here, and people were saying that if only he had been here, their brother would have been alive. It was Martha who went out to meet him, unable to rest at home with her weeping sister, and needing to see his face, to hear him speak, even to just know that he was with them in this dreadful darkness.
She found herself echoing what others were saying, and what she knew wee; "If you had been here my brother would not have died..." There was no recrimination in those words. She knew that if it had been possible, he would have been there. Then came those absolutely amazing words from her lips. "But I know that even now, God will give you whatever you ask."
"WHATEVER"! Did she actually believe that? Whatever? Could she have imagined what would take place in a few moments? Her amazing friend spoke of life after this life but, more than that, that he was the source of eternal life. Quietly she affirmed her faith in him, still not knowing what would follow.
In the darkest moments of our lives, it is easy to dwell on the "If only..." moments. Her sister, in her grief, seemed to be stuck in that limited imagination. "If only you had been here my brother would not have died". But Martha was looking up and looking forward, refusing to allow disappointment to cloud her vision of what still could be. "But even now" are truly amazing words. It has always seemed a paradox that the sister who chose to sit at the feet of Jesus listening to his words, is not the woman of faith at this time. But it is not about what we hear or read that make the difference. It is about what we believe.
So it was that, after tears had been shed,a call rang out for the dead to rise again, and Lazarus came out from the grave in which he had lain for four days.
For many people in the world today, the darkest moments have come as their loved ones have been lost. I too, have experienced loss as my beloved Doreen has passed into the presence of the Savior she loved and served. 45 years of marriage brought to an end by the ravages of Alzheimer's Disease. A few years before it had become apparent that the person with whom I had fallen in love had faded as the disease took its relentless toll. But I had determined that if the woman I had fallen in love with was no longer available, then I would deliberately learn to love the woman I still lived with. And so I did, in the good moments and the bad. And towards the end, the woman I fell in love with some 46 years before returned to me, as if risen from the dead. Moments of deep affection and words of deep love repeatedly passed one from the other.
And now I have my "Even now..." moment. For me, the passion to help other people find salvation in Christ, to know him as Saviour and friend, has been rekindled as I think of the thousands passing into eternity without the hope that burns in my heart, leaving behind grieving loved ones without that "Even now" comfort. As millions of Christians rise to the challenge of being good neighbours to friends in need, I pray that somehow, God will help us to share something of our faith that can look through the darkest days to a better and more glorious future. People need to hear the good news. They need Jesus! There is an amazing opportunity for us to be God's instrument to bring hope to replace despair. We need wisdom and courage to find and use the appropriate words, but we must never let the opportunity slip.
And in your dark moments, may you so trust in Jesus that you can say with confidence,"Even now..."
Please join us online at 8.00 (BST) this Easter Sunday Morning when Gordon Banks and I will be leading some Easter thoughts and worship. You need to register in advance. TO DO THIS PLEASE CLICK THIS LINK NOW.
God bless you. Stay safe.
Barry
Rev Barry Osborne
CEO,Rural Mission Solutions
