Which comes first?

Which comes first?  Seeing or Believing…

When Lazarus fell sick in John11, his sisters immediately sent word to Jesus.  They knew Jesus loved their brother dearly and would be able and willing to help.  Verse 5 reaffirms Jesus’ love for them, yet he didn’t drop everything to rush to Lazarus’ sickbed.  God’s delays are not necessarily denials.  It’s during those times that we need to remind ourselves of God’s power, control, and most importantly, his love for us.

Two days later Jesus was ready to go back to Judea.  The disciples tried to talk him out of it, afraid because the Jews had tried to stone him there before.  That’s when Jesus revealed that Lazarus had in fact died, but that he was glad he didn’t make it in time because these disciples needed to see something to make them truly believe. 

I love how Thomas was on the fence tottering between wanting to see something spectacular and not wanting to die.  And I love how that was enough faith for Jesus to work with.  Sometimes seeing is believing; and sometimes Jesus is willing to meet our doubts with mercy, grace and a miracle to help us believe.

By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been dead four days.  The sisters were distraught, discouraged, even angry.  How could Jesus let this happen?  But within that raw emotion was an undercurrent of faith that believed God was still in control and would do whatever Jesus asked.

Speaking to Martha, “Jesus said to her, “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. Do you believe this?”” (John11:25-26)

Martha believed.

Next Mary came and showed Jesus where Lazarus was laid to rest.  Jesus wept.  He cares.  When tragedies hit, we can’t go to that place of thinking Jesus doesn’t love us, doesn’t care, or isn’t in control.  We need to believe that Jesus does love us, does care, and is in control, and then see the situation through that lens.

The sisters were grieving, yet they still had a peace, trust, and faith in Jesus.  They believed.  And as a result they saw a miracle.

When we believe in Christ, we give him permission to move in our lives.  We also recognize his workings for what they are – his glory – rather than rationalizing them away as something else, taking them for granted, or taking the credit.  Belief in Christ changes how we see the world, or should anyways.

Many people who witnessed Lazarus’ resurrection believed in Christ that day.  But many didn’t.  Really?  A miracle’s effect in our lives depends on the condition of our heart.  If our heart is sinful, hard, rebellious, or unbelieving then we won’t believe even after seeing someone raised from the dead.  We won’t be touched by testimonies of lives changed by Christ.

Believe.  See the glory of God.  Don’t believe.  Miss out.