The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

John11:14, 20-27, “So Jesus then said to them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead…’

20 Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house.
21 Martha then said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
22 ‘Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.’
23 Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’
24 Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’
25 Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,
26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?’
27 She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.’”

Did you ever know someone who was never in a hurry, but was always on time? Well, you have now! It was Jesus! He was a two-day journey from the home of Mary and Martha and their brother, Lazarus. Yet, when He heard of Lazarus’ death, he waited two more days before departing on the journey to their house.

If you’ve never read this account in the Scriptures, you’re probably as confused as the disciples were. Sometimes, we’re just too much in a hurry about too many things. We’re like little children, who cannot sleep because they’re excited about Christmas morning. Or, we’ve ordered something online and cannot bear to wait for it to arrive in the mail.

The Scriptures don’t tell us whether Martha was anxious. My guess is that she was! In any event, she was confident that Jesus could have prevented Lazarus’ death. She also rested in the fact that God the Father could and would do anything Jesus might ask. Are you that confident about Jesus’ ability? Are you satisfied that whatever occurs is still in the Father’s Hands?

Yes, Lazarus came to life that day from the grave! We and our loved ones die physically just as Lazarus did. Yet, when we have committed ourselves to Jesus, we have His promise that true believers will one day arise to meet Him in the air and will “ever be with the LORD.”

That’s the best GOOD NEWS any of us could ever receive! And it comes straight from His Word! That’s how I stay on top of whatever occurs! How about you?

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom