Never beyond the reach of the power of Jesus. (John 11)

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, three adult siblings from Bethany, are friends and followers of Jesus.

Lazarus has fallen gravely ill, and his sisters Mary and Martha urgently send for Jesus, who is “across the Jordan” to come and help them.  (11:1-3).

Jesus’ response to their situation seems surprisingly indifferent. “Though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was” (11:5-6). Jesus expresses confidence that Lazarus’ illness will not lead to death, but rather to the glory of God (11:4), yet by the time Jesus finally gets to Bethany, Lazarus is already dead and buried. He is in the grave for 4 days, already.

We can understand the anguished cries of Martha and Mary to Jesus, who greet him separately but with the same words: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (11:21, 32). Implied in this statement are some pointed questions.

Where were you, Jesus? Why did you take so long getting here? I thought you loved my brother. I thought you cared about us. Some of the neighbours gathered also ask among themselves, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” (11:37).

Aren’t these exactly the kinds of questions we ask, or would like to ask, when tragedy strikes? Where were you, Lord? How could you have let this happen? Couldn’t you have prevented all this horrible pain and heartache? Couldn’t you have acted faster and more decisively?

To Martha, he responds with a promise: “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die” (11:25-26).

Jesus pulls the hope of the future resurrection into their present hopelessness, promising abundant, eternal life that begins here and now.

With Jesus, we find out, it is never too late. Even when we are convinced that all is lost, even when we are ready to give up, Jesus demonstrates that there is no loss, no tragedy, no power in heaven or on earth that can place us beyond the reach of his infinite love, abundant life and divine power.

He is deeply moved by our sadness and at the same time he is the almighty Christ who can bring life where the stench of death already seems to have the upper hand!