What did Jesus do when he heard that Lazarus had become critically ill and was expected to die? Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha, two women who were dear to Jesus. Mary, moreover, was a woman with an exemplary heart of worship for God. Surely if anyone had the ear of Jesus it was them. But, when Jesus heard that Lazarus was ill, we are told: “He stayed where he was two more days.” He let Lazarus die! Why? Because he was going to manifest his power and glory in this tragedy. It seems that tragedy and misfortune are favoured contexts for God to manifest himself. It is not that God wants us to suffer. He wants us to find true joy and fullness of life. But sometimes, to give us something, God must first take something away. We won’t always understand why this is, and this is not the answer to all of life’s tragedies. But it is clear from this case, as well as the case of the blind man in chapter 9, that, at least sometimes, God permits tragedy in order to create a context within which to manifest to us his power and glory. Next time you go through some form of suffering, appeal to God to manifest his power and glory in your circumstance. You will not be able to predict how God will answer, but you can be sure that he will answer. For, when you pray such a prayer, you are appealing to what is most important to God. He loves to reveal his glory so that we might know that he is God.
Ask God to manifest his power and glory in and through your life.
Read John 11:1-16
