Back From the Dead - Wholly Loved - April 20

Back From the Dead
By Andrea Chatelain

“So when [Jesus] heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days.” John 11:6

I bet you never knew I was dead. Cold to the touch. My heart stopped beating. They wrapped me in grave clothes and prepared for life without me. But then I came back. It was a miracle. There were witnesses and still some people don’t believe in the one who warmed my blood and breathed my soul back into this body.

What say you?

I imagine that’s how Lazarus told and retold his story. Strangely, my faith story is similar. Jesus is still in the business of restoring lives.

In John chapter 11, we learn that Jesus brought a friend who had been dead and rotting for four days back to life. But before He did, Jesus made the man’s loved ones wait.

His sisters, Mary and Martha, were terrified their brother was going to die, and Jesus was calm knowing He had the power to change a death sentence. He could’ve healed Lazarus instantly. In doing so, the sisters would’ve dodged their pain but would’ve missed experiencing the power of God.

Today’s verse seems backwards. It says Jesus loved them so He delayed responding. But in His perfect timing, when the people couldn’t solve the problem on their own, He breathed life into a hopeless situation. Sounding familiar? It does for me.

I wasn’t physically dead, but emotionally done.

I’ve given up when life seemed too much. I wondered where God was and why He wasn’t fixing things right then. But looking back, the pain I endured had purpose. He allowed me to go through the darkness so I could search for His light. So I would trade the world for His abundant life.

Every Christian is Lazarus. God raised us from spiritually dead. When we surrendered and believed in Jesus and that the Holy Spirit lives and breathes within us, we came back to life–-a new life.

God can raise us from negative to positive, despair to joy, hopeless to faithful, broken to empowered, victim to conqueror, and sinner to beloved child of God.

Andrea Chatelain’s mission is to meet women in their struggles and love them forward with God’s truth. She's part of the Wholly Loved Ministriesteam, is a Midwest mom of three, faith and family writer, and college English instructor to immigrants and refugees. It’s her joy to lead Bible studies in her neighborhood, church, and community because she believes Jesus transforms lives when His people boldly seek Him. Her writing reflects her love for Jesus and heart for fellow believers. Connect with Andrea more online at www.afruitfulwoman.com.

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