Mary and Martha Book Study - Chapter 8

Chapter 8 - Lessons from Lazarus

John 11:1,3
"Now a man named Lazarus was sick...
So the sisters sent word to Jesus,
"Lord, the one you love is sick."

I remember listening to a sermon by Andy Stanley (one of my all time favorite pastors - I would move to Atlanta for that!) and he spoke about this passage and it is very similar to how Weaver describes it. She quotes author Ray C. Stedman

"The hardest problem I have to handle as a Christian is what to do when God does not do what I have been taught to expect him to do; when God gets out of line and does not act the way I think he ought. What do I do about that?"

Isn't that the real problem? For some reason, we think that we know what is best for us and everyone else. Yet, God can see it all and knows the end of our story.

She lists four things that we can learn from this story:
1. God's will does not always proceed in a straight line
2. God's love sometimes tarries for our good and his glory
3. God's ways are not our ways, but his character is still dependable
4. God's plan is released when we believe and obey
5. The "end" is never the end;it is only the beginning

Weaver ends the chapter in this way on page 134 and 136:

" Even though Jesus knew Lazarus was about to be raised from the dead, he understood Mary and Martha's pain...Today we suffer. Today we don't understand. But someday, in that eternal Tomorrow, that same Savior who weeps with us will wipe every tear from our eyes"

And won't that be the best day ever! Amen