Growing Your Faith with the Lazarus Story

In yesterday's post, I compared Lazarus to Wesley in The Princess Bride, and made the point that even when life hands you its worst, and it looks like things are not ending well, you can trust that God is still writing your story. The real ending is still to come and may be just around the corner.

Today, let's take a look at the next part of the story, when Mary catches us to Jesus and he sees her grief...

Martha went back & called her sister Mary, and told her privately, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you." And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him...The Jews who with her in the house... followed her...When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her  also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord. come and see." Jesus began to weep. - John 11: 28-44

Mary's Faith and Jesus's Love & Grief

In this passage, we see several things happening...

(1) Because she knew him well, Mary - and Martha, in yesterday's passage - knew that Jesus could have prevented her brother from dying. She doesn't say she wished he had been able, she is convinced. She knows without doubt.

(2) Jesus, who loves Mary, is moved by her grief and the grief of the Jews who came with her. Not only does he empathize, he begins to grieve, too.

(3) When they offer to show Jesus where his friend, Lazarus, has been laid, Jesus begins to grieve even more, and weeps because of it.

Journal Prompts for Your Morning Quiet Time: Becoming Mary

Slow faith idea: during your next morning quiet time, settle in with a cup of tea and grab your journal. Use these journal prompts to grow your faith.

In this passage, Mary demonstrates a deep and powerful faith in and tender, loving relationship with Jesus. They are friends, and we see their close connection.

As you connect with Jesus each day, he wants that same deep and loving friendship with you, loves you just as tenderly and you can trust that he is there for you when you are hurt, troubled or grieving.

This story, in which Jesus shows us what God is like, demonstrates that God grieves with you. Even when He knows the good ending He has planned for your story.

So here are the journal prompts to take with you into your quiet time with God...

(1) What is on your heart right now that you wish would change or come to an end? Is life handing you anything that grieves or frustrates you?

(2) What would it mean in your life to think of God still writing your story, planning a powerfully good ending you just can't yet see?

(3) How does it feel to know that God empathizes with everything you are feeling about your situation, and grieves with you, even though He knows the resolution is coming?

(4) Mary had full faith that Jesus would have been able to save her brother's life and heal him. How can you have Mary's faith in your situation?

(5) We know that Mary spent time with Jesus, developing a close relationship with him. Are you spending enough quiet time with God?

More Resources for Developing Mary's Faith

Next month's JeanineLetter (my free newsletter) will be about how to develop Mary's faith by creating an adoration quiet time. And there are other quiet time resources already in the lifestyle library.

Join us by clicking on one of the highlighted links in the paragraph above. It's free, and I'd love to have you.

Wishing you Mary's faith in a sometimes doubt-filled world.

Love, Jeanine