Saturday 06 April 2024

Psalm 145

Background

We enter sensitively into these verses from John's Gospel today. There was great sorrow in the household of Mary and Martha and within their community. Their well-known brother Lazarus had died and there was an outpouring of grief that interrupted their daily affairs. Their close friend Jesus had delayed his arrival (John 11:6) even when he knew Lazarus was very ill and it was urgent. For Jesus there is always a right timing and when he was ready he journeyed to be with them.

Notice the lamentable grief as Jesus was rebuked by the sisters. To paraphrase verses 21 and 32 they said "You could have done something about this if you had come earlier."

But they were honest in their conversation. We see both sisters responding in their own way to dealing with grief. Could one say that Martha would be sorting out the practical arrangements, being 'head-centred', whereas Mary’s heart was breaking as she wept publicly? The villagers joined in and Jesus wept too. The shortest verse in the Bible reveals the humanity of Jesus (v. 35).

Notice how Jesus connected with his father (God) in prayer (v. 41) as the storyline changed from sadness to joy. He told Martha that he was the resurrection and life (v. 25) and he evidenced this as he instructed the stone of the tomb to be removed and called to Lazarus to come out into the light of living. Others had to remove the cloths that Lazarus had been wrapped in. (v. 44)

After this resurrection, it is not recorded in the Bible how Lazarus and his sisters responded to Jesus caring and bringing about more than they could possibly ask for or imagine. Finally, one has to wonder if Lazarus really wanted to return to earth after experiencing a short while of heavenly paradise!

To Ponder:

• Jesus’ timing is interesting. He completed the task in hand before journeying to meet his bereaved friends. How good are we at waiting for Jesus? Do we rush too quickly into pastoral situations sometimes?
• Martha's reproach to Jesus was a lament: a gut-honest heartfelt expletive to God. Are we sometimes 'too nice' to use that type of prayer?
• Put yourself in Lazarus’ shoes as he emerged into daylight from the darkness of death. What do you imagine he said?
• Ponder how helpful Jesus is when comfort, empathy and compassion are necessary.

Prayer

Living Christ, we offer you our own suffering. We bring before you our physical pain, pain of loss and loneliness, pain of failure, and the pain of broken relationships. Teach us patience and courage so that what is destructive can become creative and make us whole again. Keep us from self pity and from whining; undergird our pain with the joy of hope which is deeper than sorrow and stronger than death. Let us see at last your full resurrection glory, which puts an end to sorrow, crying, pain and death for ever. Then our praise will be perfect, endless, and you will receive the honour due to you. Amen.

Bible notes author: The Revd Frances Ballantyne

Frances Ballantyne was ordained within the Congregational Federation and transferred to the Methodist Connexion where she served in the South Holland and Mid-Cheshire Circuits and is currently in the Leicester Trinity Circuit. She has been a volunteer for Victim Support and is currently a member of the Methodist Survivors Advisory Group. She has contributed to BBC Radio Leicester's ‘Thought for the Day’ and written articles for 'The Accord Journal' (for Christian counsellors) and prayer poems for several publications. She is currently challenged by a diagnosis of medullary thyroid cancer.