A man by the name of Lazarus was sick in the village of Bethany. He had two sisters, Mary and Martha. This was the same Mary who later poured perfume on the Lord’s head and wiped his feet with her hair. The sisters sent a message to the Lord and told him that his good friend Lazarus was sick. When Jesus heard this, he said, “His sickness won’t end in death. It will bring glory to God and his Son.” (John 11:1-4 CEV)
If only Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and Mary, had known that his death would bring glory to God and His Son. How different would their reactions been! Instead, when Jesus arrived later than expected, both sisters told Him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21, 32). In other words, “You could have prevented my brother’s death, but you didn’t. Did we not send word for You to come? Where were you? Why didn’t you come? How could You let your good friend’s sickness end in death?” They may not be spelled out in those exact words in the Bible, but I’m sure those thoughts were running through their heads because anyone reading Lazarus’ story for the first time, can’t help but ask those questions.
How many of us, including devout followers of Jesus, find ourselves asking similar questions? We’re not exempt from life’s troubles, but we still feel entitled to miracles. And while we’re promised God’s best, we tend to forget that His best often comes after we’ve gone through the worst. And this is what the Easter story is about: suffering and death before resurrection and glory. Let’s not lose sight of the events that led to Easter Sunday. There is nothing beautiful about the cross, but without it there would have been no resurrection and no hope. And so this is where I derive my greatest comfort in the Easter story: our “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NIV). God’s not finished yet. His best is yet to come!
Rising with the Son 