Gratitude

I believe that simply being grateful would change a lot of people’s lives. 

Awe struck!

Lately I’ve been very intrigued by the story of Lazarus. I’ve grown up hearing it many times but never really ‘heard’ it. Lazarus was a friend of Jesus as well as his sisters Mary and Martha. Jesus would visit with them when he’d pass through Bethany, the small town where they lived. When news reached him of Lazarus being sick he was not near Bethany and the disciples said to Jesus that they should go because Lazarus needed him. Jesus said no, we will wait. He chose to wait until his friend had died and was buried. He chose to wait because he knew that healing Lazarus from his illness was not going to be as strong a message as raising him from death. After he’d been buried for FOUR days Jesus arrived in Bethany. Mary and Martha were devastated from the loss of their brother and friends of the family also were in serious mourning. When Jesus saw their sadness it broke his heart and he too wept. I always heard this message and it was delivered so that the emphasis was that Jesus wept because his friend had died but I believe he wept for the sadness of those left behind because he CHOSE to wait and come after Lazarus had died. This tells me that our broken hearts break his heart too. Now imagine how the sisters must have felt when Jesus said show me where he is buried! They said, we can’t open it Master! He’s been buried for FOUR days! It will smell! But Jesus insisted they show him so they did. And when they opened the tomb it did smell of course. Jesus stood and said “Lazarus, come out!” He said it as a command with great authority. Twice he commanded that Lazarus come out and he did. He walked out of his tomb still wrapped in the burial linen. How awe struck must everyone have been?!
©Lizzy B

Point of view

Sometimes you just need to use someone else’s way of looking at things.

©Lizzy B