When I was a child I could not wait to go to sleep. As soon as the lights went out I would begin weaving intricate tales of all kinds. Typically, the dream would start with me taking a long trip. Sometimes, I'd travel via the Orient Express through remote parts of India or I would ride a split level barge down the Nile River in Egypt. Very often, I would live in a giant rambling bungalow nestled at the top of a few towering trees. In order to visit neighbors I'd have to navigate a series of wooden ladders anchored by leather tassels. Or, I lived in an igloo with opulent fur rugs and secret underground passages carved out of ice. Regardless of where I lived, I was always the oldest daughter of the king and queen. I was the rebellious, beautiful, intelligent Princess with a killer wardrobe and hair like Pam Greer.
I am much older but my dreams still represent a form of escape from the humdrum monotony of life. Through the past 30 years or so, I have learned the hard way that constantly seeking this world's thrills when confronted with tragedy, disappointment or sadness is NEVER the way. It inevitably leads to errors and mistakes.
God through his son Jesus has shown us that the only thing we should seek with regularity is HIS WAY. This is not easy.
Who would choose to die on a cross if she could help it? (Jesus chose to die even though he had the power to avoid this horrible death)
Who would choose to watch his friends grieve for another when you knew you had power to revive the deceased? (Jesus did not come to Lazarous' aid even though he knew Lazarous was sick sick unto death. But when he arrived, he wept with his friends and raised Lazarous from the dead.) See John chapter 11 (below)
The point is that if God has commanded us to do something, we MUST do it. We must not seek escape. We must not run away. The up side is that God will reward obedience.
Today, my favorite dream is always the same. I am climbing very steep and rocky terrain. The sky is gray and devoid of bright sunlight. I am bruised and exhausted. Just when I feel I can not take one more step, suddenly a gift will appear. Once I received an ice cold bottle of Fiji water. Another time a hammock appeared in my favorite color. Another time, I found a bowl of juicy peaches that burst like drops of sunshine in my mouth.
Finally after what seems like 80 plus years I reach the summit. There I am greeted by a large silver gate. I touch it lightly and the gate swings open to reveal the most beautiful green grass I have ever seen. In the middle of the grass is a bubbling fountain that has my name on it. As I touch the water, my entire body is revived. I am suddenly imbued with the energy of a child. All of my aches and pains from my journey have gone away. In fact, I no longer even remember them. I am radiant and can see everything around me with a new clarity. I can see butterflies everywhere and I can immediately recall all the fun facts that I ever learned about butterflies. I remember their scientific name, place of origin, etc. I am as wise as Solomon.
Thus refreshed, I begin to look for my Friend. I know I will find him sitting under my favorite tree. Sure enough, I see him there. And we sit and chat under the weeping willow about everything for ever.
Never forget that Jesus is here to help you. Stop now and ask him for help. Thank him for taking care of every situation. His power is supernatural, darlings.
John 11
The Death of Lazarus
1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” 4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”
11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”
12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. 21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
