Believe

John 11: 43-44
“When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

This was unprecedented, someone that had been dead for 4 days coming back to life, no one had heard of this before. The Jewish officials sought a sign that Jesus was the Messiah, they got it. Jesus did not do this for them, He did it for Mary and Martha and He did it for me and you and all who heard this account.

Jesus predicted the outcome of this visit to His disciples (John 11:11–15). When He did arrive, He first communicates with Mary and Martha separately to comfort them, but He knows what is about to follow. He goes to the tomb of the dead and prays out loud to God connecting His power to the Father’s approval (John 11:41–42). He then did something so dramatic almost unbelievable; He commands for a dead man to leave his grave (John 11:43).

In front of many witnesses, Jesus opened a grave and called out to a corpse—and Lazarus walked out of the tomb alive and healthy, still in grave clothes. This was a moment like no other. The miracle demanded a response then, as it does today, believe in Jesus as the Messiah (John 11:45), or don’t believe (John 11:46).

This passage holds a lot of value for me because it was the turning point in my walk with God. One night at 19 years old as I read it for the hundredth time, I didn’t understand it before, but I did that night. I could have kept walking blindly just knowing about Jesus, or I could really know Jesus as He knows me. The choice was mine and I know I made the right choice. In a sense I came out of that grave.

Prayer:
Lord, sometimes we need a wake-up call. Life can go on, we can keep walking the same path, or we can wake up and hear your voice calling us from the graves in which we walk. I choose to wake up Lord and follow Your voice. In Your name Lord, Amen!