The Ultimate Healing is Not Here

9Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews learned that Jesus was there. And they came not only because of Him, but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11for on account of him many of the Jews were deserting them and believing in Jesus. (John 12:9-11)

Thoughts:  Today we did a memorial service for a miracle lady.  Ruth Palassis was healed from a melanoma 25 years ago (when they didn't know how to treat it well), and then from a Glioblastoma brain tumor.  Glioblastoma is the kind of cancer Ted Kennedy and John McCain died from.  The average life expectancy from diagnosis is 15 months. Ruth lived with it 14 years.  The doctors at Duke said it was a miracle.  Ruth and I did too.   She ended up dying from a third type of cancer- Sarcoma.  The Duke doctors had Ruth talk to others who were just diagnosed to give them hope. 
      Jesus raised three people from the dead by name: Lazarus, Jairus' daughter, and the widow of Nain's son.  Each of these would die again.  While Lazarus lived, he was a living testimony to the power and love of Jesus that reached even beyond the grave.  It was a testimony that God could indeed raise someone from the dead.  This gave people hope- and it should give us hope.  But the ultimate healing is not found in this life.  They tried to kill Lazarus (but couldn't Jesus just raise him again?).  In the end, tradition tells us Lazarus went to Cyprus and became a bishop there before he died.  But Lazarus' ultimate resurrection is in heaven.  That is where our ultimate resurrection and healing is as well.  All the people Jesus healed- the lepers, the lame, the blind, the deaf, the ones having seizures, eventually died.  His healing shows He cares about our pain now but it also points to His power to overcome each thing in the end.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to pray for healing to you here, but know my ultimate healing is not in this life.  

  

1/25/14- Jesus Wept John 11:35

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life.  Anyone who believes in me will live even though they die."...Jesus wept.
(John 11:25, 35)

Thoughts: Jesus was a friend to Lazarus.  Lazarus got sick, and they sent for Jesus to heal him, but Jesus was delayed and did not make it before Lazarus died.  Everyone was weeping around the tomb.  It looked like it was just too late- the tomb was sealed, and it appeared that death had won.  Everyone was crying because Lazarus was a good man and they would miss him.  Jesus himself wept.  In fact, the shortest and one of the most important verses of the Bible is "Jesus wept."  It shows that God has compassion on our hurts and grief even if He knows the person will be raised and better off.  God is able to understand the hurt of grief and put Himself in our moment of pain.  When our heartaches come, and griefs threaten to overwhelm us, we need to remember that Jesus wept.  But the end is that for those who believe, Jesus also is their resurrection.  He raised Lazarus from the dead- to show us that He is in control of life and death cannot thwart His purpose.
    Today we will have a funeral for a young 23 year old man who was a kind and humorous fellow.  Jesus weeps at the heartache of death again.  But Jesus is also our hope.

Prayer: Help me to remember your tears when I am in the midst of mine, Lord.  Help me also to remember the joy at the end- that you are the resurrection and the life.

(the author in Lazarus' tomb- 6/2010)