Hard to believe that this weekend marks the 5th week of Lent already! In the Gospel this Sunday we hear about the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Imagine being there when our Lord commanded Lazarus to come forth from the tomb after having been dead for four days?! Definitely a unique experience…one we would never forget. We will all experience a resurrection one day…all we have to do is follow our Lord’s instruction, namely, “take away the stone.”
What does that mean? What stone is Jesus referring to? Literally, it was the stone in front of the tomb of Lazarus. But there was a much deeper meaning here…a spiritual meaning. Lazarus would have remained in the tomb and there would have been no raising the dead to life unless the people nearby did as the Lord asked. At first, however, they hesitated. They didn’t trust Him completely yet. Why? They hadn’t fully come to know Him and accept Him as the Son of God…as the Resurrection and the Life. There were stones blocking the entrance to the tombs of their own hearts: doubt and fear...the usual cadre of obstacles from the evil one’s tool box. Jesus wants us to experience a resurrection right now, right here, on this very day, in this very moment. Bodily resurrection will come but first there has to be a spiritual resurrection. Jesus wants to raise us from the darkness of doubt into the light of faith. What a different world it is when we believe in Him as the Resurrection and the Life.
Perhaps we are like Martha after Jesus said, “take way the stone.” We can get too focused on the problem…the thing that seems so impossible. “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.” Jesus reminds her as he reminds us, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” If the stone in front of your heart is doubt or fear choose faith…believe in Him…believe in His word…believe in His promises. Didn’t Jesus say, “if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20). If faith can move mountains, it can remove the stone of doubt and fear. Perhaps our prayer has to be "Lord, help me take away the stone. I want to believe…help my unbelief." The gift needed here is humility. Perhaps like so many who don’t stop to ask for directions out of pride, we have to surrender to the reality that I can’t do this on my own. I need a Savior. I need Jesus. Let each one of us like Martha place our trust in Him. Let us give Jesus permission to do what He want to do for each of us, namely, to give us EASTER.
Know that each of you are kept in prayer as we journey together with our Lord towards the fullness of that eternal Easter.