OzThoughts Friday 2nd January 2009

OzThoughts Friday 2nd January 2009

Have you ever said “if only…” ? I have. I remember having to run a 100 metre race right after lunch. I did not run my best. Now, if only I had not had two meat pies and a drink of water before I ran, I might have got a better place than last.

I imagine there are many people who are saying the equivalent of “if only” when they face the tragedy of personal loss in the various tragedies of 2008.

Some of our “if only” statements might be trivial like my pies after lunch. Others will be said in much more serious circumstances. It sort of recognizes that choices have been made and the consequences give us cause to reflect on those choices.

As they faced the death of their brother, Lazarus, both Martha and Mary said to Jesus “If only you had been here…” Jesus felt for them in their grief and he too wept.

Previously when Jesus heard of Lazarus sickness, he had said to his disciples “It will become an occasion to show God's glory by glorifying God's Son.”

Although Lazarus had been dead for four days, Jesus raised him to life. He was an acted emphasis to words that Jesus had said to Martha “"You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?"

Jesus adds his own “if only” on this occasion. If only... “The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live”. If only we believe we will live.

PRAYER:

Father God, I am often tempted to look for the “if only” of situations. Help to look to you today. May my peace today be found in your love. May I look beyond the present, knowing that the present is a part of the eternity you have planned. Amen.

John 11 (The Message)

1 A man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 This was the same Mary who massaged the Lord's feet with aromatic oils and then wiped them with her hair. It was her brother Lazarus who was sick.
3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Master, the one you love so very much is sick."
4 When Jesus got the message, he said, "This sickness is not fatal. It will become an occasion to show God's glory by glorifying God's Son."
5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus,
6 but oddly, when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed on where he was for two more days.
7 After the two days, he said to his disciples, "Let's go back to Judea."
8 They said, "Rabbi, you can't do that. The Jews are out to kill you, and you're going back?"
9 Jesus replied, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in daylight doesn't stumble because there's plenty of light from the sun.
10 Walking at night, he might very well stumble because he can't see where he's going."
11 He said these things, and then announced, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. I'm going to wake him up."
12 The disciples said, "Master, if he's gone to sleep, he'll get a good rest and wake up feeling fine."
13 Jesus was talking about death, while his disciples thought he was talking about taking a nap.
14 Then Jesus became explicit: "Lazarus died.
15 And I am glad for your sakes that I wasn't there. You're about to be given new grounds for believing. Now let's go to him."
16 That's when Thomas, the one called the Twin, said to his companions, "Come along. We might as well die with him."
17 When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days dead.
18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, only a couple of miles away,
19 and many of the Jews were visiting Martha and Mary, sympathizing with them over their brother.
20 Martha heard Jesus was coming and went out to meet him. Mary remained in the house.
21 Martha said, "Master, if you'd been here, my brother wouldn't have died.
22 Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you."
23 Jesus said, "Your brother will be raised up."
24 Martha replied, "I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time."
25 "You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live.
26 And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?"
27 "Yes, Master. All along I have believed that you are the Messiah, the Son of God who comes into the world."
28 After saying this, she went to her sister Mary and whispered in her ear, "The Teacher is here and is asking for you."
29 The moment she heard that, she jumped up and ran out to him.
30 Jesus had not yet entered the town but was still at the place where Martha had met him.
31 When her sympathizing Jewish friends saw Mary run off, they followed her, thinking she was on her way to the tomb to weep there.
32 Mary came to where Jesus was waiting and fell at his feet, saying, "Master, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died."
33 When Jesus saw her sobbing and the Jews with her sobbing, a deep anger welled up within him.
34 He said, "Where did you put him?"
"Master, come and see," they said.
35 Now Jesus wept.
36 The Jews said, "Look how deeply he loved him."
37 Others among them said, "Well, if he loved him so much, why didn't he do something to keep him from dying? After all, he opened the eyes of a blind man."
38 Then Jesus, the anger again welling up within him, arrived at the tomb. It was a simple cave in the hillside with a slab of stone laid against it.
39 Jesus said, "Remove the stone."
The sister of the dead man, Martha, said, "Master, by this time there's a stench. He's been dead four days!"
40 Jesus looked her in the eye. "Didn't I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
41 Then, to the others, "Go ahead, take away the stone."
They removed the stone. Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, "Father, I'm grateful that you have listened to me.
42 I know you always do listen, but on account of this crowd standing here I've spoken so that they might believe that you sent me."
43 Then he shouted, "Lazarus, come out!"
44 And he came out, a cadaver, wrapped from head to toe, and with a kerchief over his face.
Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him loose."

I kneel beside thy sacred cross,
And count for thee my life as dross;
O satisfy my soul this hour
With thy dear love, my healing power.

Chorus
Thou art enough for me,
Thou art enough for me;
O precious, living, loving Lord,
Yes, thou art enough for me!

My helpless soul, rest thou in God
And lean upon his faithful word,
So in my heart, Lord, thou shalt find
That I am to thy will resigned.

At times 'tis hard for flesh and blood
To say: Thy will be done. my God;
But if my grief means others' gain,
O what to me are loss and pain!

Through every fear my soul doth climb
Above the things of passing time,
And to my eyes the sight is given
Which makes my earth a present Heaven.

Author: William Elwin Oliphant (1860-1941)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 729

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