OH How I Need Jesus

John 11:40

⁴⁰ Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you and promise you that if you would believe and rely on Me, you would see the glory of God?

 Today my devotions brought me to a place of conviction and then to a place of rest...in His mercy and grace.

I was reading in John 11 about Martha, Mary and the death of their brother, Lazarus.  The above verse just flew off the page and I was so glad to "grab on" to it.  Selfishly, because I WANT TO SEE GOD DO THE IMPOSSIBLE TO BLESS ME!  Ok I am being honest here.. with all of the stuff going on in our house....2 teenage boys, opps...MEN, Levi, 2 beautiful grand daughers, the twins in EE, canning season upon us/me, winter on the way and meals laundry..etc. I want to see the end results~yesterday!  I am so like Martha! I want to get right to it!  I don't want to wait and mess around...lets just be direct.  Why take our time as there is always so much to do! 

As I read the story it occurred to me that not only was I like Martha in that I am impatient, I also have the tendancy to forget what I said 2 minutes ago.  In verses 20 - 27 Martha hears the Jesus is coming!  She can't wait for Jesus to come to her and Mary....she has to get things moving! So she runs out to meet him. She greets Jesus with an attitude that seems to say "seriously?! you're here now"  why did you wait?  You and I both know that if you would have come asap this wouldn't be happening! 

I know you are thinking.....OH laurie, I would never utter such disrespect and contemptable words to Jesus!  I would say, you are right...none of us would actually speak those words out loud. But in our hearts we can have that same attitude and I will be the first to admit it.  Come on Lord Jesus! why can't we just get going! If you're going to do it anyway.... why wait!  Can anyone relate?....

Then in the next breath she tells Jesus how much she believes in Him, always has, and after He tells her that her brother will rise again, quickly she answers "yes Lord i know he will rise on the last day and resurrection ('cause she knows and because she is smart and has it all figured out) And that yes yes Lord I know all of that..but what are you going to do about this now?

Even one more time...she questions what Jesus is doing when He asks for the stone to be removed from the tomb.  Sortof saying..."Ah.....Jesus....don't you know that he has been in there for 4 days.... it is NOT going to smell good!?"  And I love this.... then comes the response that put my heart before a mirror... scripture that cut do deep that it separates the bone and marrow, (Hebrews 4:12 see below)as Gods Word so powerfully does. 

   

⁴⁰ Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you and promise you that if you would believe and rely on Me, you would see the glory of God?  The Message

then before He performs the miracle, He gives the Father the glory...by speaking out loud to him in front of all that had gathered... and thanking God for hearing him!  For the benefit of all there...He tried to be very clear...and spoke very simply.... for those who just couldn't "get it"  that He was sent by the Father.

Ok...so today I am reminded that in spite of what I think needs to happen and WHEN, I need to do more than just believe the words Jesus spoke...I need to rely on HIM.  Not myself.  I have a tendancy to pray and pray and then take over when things are not going according to my timeline.  Like I really have any say in it at all.  Waiting on God....trusting God....and giving it all up to God...... Oh my... We can miss so much while we wait if we are so consumed with "not waiting".   I don't want to miss anything that God has for me..ever!

I am again, thankful for the mercy the Lord has on me....and my "issues"....and I am thankful for the "grace" that He affords me every single day...sometimes every 5 minutes.... I am thankful that in God's Word there are real life examples of myself.  Examples of those who fall short...and those "sheep" who need to be corralled back into the pen by the great Shepherd!  The one who loves us/me with all He has in spite of me!

Be a believer in God, Jesus, His Word and rely on Him in the wait!  He promises to show you the Glory of God!  Nothing can compare to that!

In His Embrace,

laurie

Hebrews 4:12  Amplified
For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.