“So then he told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe” (John 11:14-15).

Lazarus is dead…I am glad I was not there.

Hmmm. What is that about?

This verse comes from the middle of the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Here are some things we ought to know about this story.

• Lazarus was a beloved friend of Jesus.
• Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha.
• Jesus was in Jerusalem. Mary and Martha send word to Jesus that their brother is sick and nearing death. They plead with Jesus to come to him because they know Jesus will heal him.
• Bethany, the town, where Lazarus lives in is less than two miles away from Jerusalem. Two miles!!! Most of us can walk that in 40 minutes. Easy.
• Yet, we are told, that when Jesus hears about Lazarus’ impending sickness and death, Jesus chooses to stay in Jerusalem for two more days!!! (John 11:6).

Hmmm. What is that about?

This is when Jesus explains to the disciples that Lazarus is dying. In fact, by the time we get to verses 14-15, Lazarus is already dead. This is when he says, “Lazarus is dead…I am glad.”

Say what?!?!

Jesus is glad, not that Lazarus is dead, but because Lazarus’ death will lead the disciples to greater faith. This is for their sake, Jesus says. This is so they will believe.

Believe what?

The story of Lazarus is about revealing Jesus as the Lord of the resurrection. Jesus declares, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25-26).

Lazarus knew that Jesus was the Lord of the resurrection. Jesus knew he was the Lord of the resurrection. The only ones who didn’t know this reality were the disciples. The raising of Lazarus from the dead would show the disciples who Jesus is.

Jesus is the Lord of the resurrection. He is the giver of life. He is the source of salvation. This is a game changer.

What a powerful life lesson. If Jesus is your Lord, there is nothing – not even death – that can separate you from the Lord of the resurrection.

Amen!

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you” (Isaiah 26:3).

Perfect peace.

Doesn’t that sound nice?

How can we experience perfect peace?

The Hebrew reads, “You will keep in perfect peace he whose mind leans/rests/stays on you; because in you he trusts.”

God is the keeper and the giver of perfect peace. Jesus reiterates this truth when he says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give you as the world gives” (John 14:27). The peace God offers in Jesus Christ is a peace that the world cannot give because the world does not possess such peace.

Perfect peace is not an emotion or a feeling. Peace is a reality.

Perfect peace is not something we can generate on our own. It is something that is given.

Perfect peace.

This is a peace that is experienced, not only in the absence of pain and suffering, but in the very midst of the worst that the world can dish out. This is a peace that surpasses all understanding.

How can we experience such peace?

Keep our minds on God. Lean on, rest upon, stay with God. When our thoughts rest on God, they don’t have the opportunity to rest on fear.

When we rest, trust, lean on, and focus on God, we have perfect peace.

“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

None of us who are alive have ever seen Christ in the fulness of his glory. At best, we have seen glimpses of his glory. At best, we have seen glimpses of Christ’s likeness.

Helen’s dad, Dave Sparling, Kiyo Scott…they see him as he is!!! They are in the presence of the Savior and there is no more guessing what Christ might look like. They behold the very face of the Son of God!!!

Thank you all for your prayers and for your messages of care.

Helen and our family are doing well. We are so thankful for God’s goodness.

Helen’s dad drew his last breath here on earth around 9:45pm on Tuesday evening. What is surprising is that Helen’s dad was doing better. So much so that the doctors were talking about discharging him on Friday. Helen was making arrangements with the nurses, the oxygen people, and others so that dad could be home starting Friday.

But that evening, dad’s condition worsened and he had another breathing episode. And within moments, he was gone.

The nurse attending to him that evening was a Christian. She held his hand and prayed dad into eternity. We are so grateful to her and all other nurses like her who have been present for loved ones as families couldn’t be.

We are grateful because God took dad quickly. This is exactly what he wanted. Even had he gone home on Friday, his quality of life would have been nothing like before. All his life he was active and very healthy until Covid ravaged his lungs. We thank God Helen was already in LA so she could be with her mom and sister during this time. God worked everything out.

God promises to give to us a peace that surpasses all understanding. That’s not just wishful thinking. That’s a reality that Helen and our family are living through right now. Of course, death stings. But death does not win! We grieve and we rejoice. We miss and we are thankful. Things have changed yet, there is peace. God is good! That hasn’t and will never change.

Thank you for your ongoing prayers and concern.

God is good!