Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Friday after Jubilate

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: St. John 11:1-13 (NKJV)
 
11:1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”
 
4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
 
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”
 
8 The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”
 
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the flight of this world. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”
 
12 Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” 13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.
 
Devotion
 
In 2 Corinthians 12:9 our Lord said, “My strength is made perfect in weakness.” This story from John’s Gospel shows Jesus using the weakness of death and the dullness of His disciples to teach holy, perfect wisdom.
 
The darkness of our fleshly minds would have us second-guess God, but then assume we are right and lean on our own understanding. The Light of Christ teaches us to trust in Him and do as He commands. Too often we want to argue or rationalize, rather than just do that which needs to be done. It is good for us to be discerning and reasonable as much as we can, but that reason must be used in service to God’s work, not for purposes of serving ourselves.
 
God will not command us to do evil. However, the bigger picture isn’t always easy to understand. That is why faith and His Word teach us to obey authorities and not be self-willed or rebellious. As we know from the familiar verse, Romans 8:28, “…all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Our Lord sets things in order and directs them. Even when we cannot see or understand how it will all work out, observing His commands and trusting in Him is the faithful thing to do.
 
Prayer: Almighty God, who showest to them that be in error the light of Thy truth to the intent that they may return into the way of righteousness, grant unto all them that are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s religion that they may avoid those things that are contrary to their profession and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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