TAKE THE STONE AWAY

Many persons today who are hurting, dying, depressed and suffering inwardly use ‘different stones’ and sometimes, ‘colourful stones’ to seal their caves and hide away their hurts, sufferings and sorrows from the public. A woman once called me for a counselling session asking for prayer for her 7-year old son who is having concentration problems. But when I asked about her husband, she wept so bitterly that it became the centre of our discussion- she had been in an abusive marriage. I realised that she had masked the real problem while projecting the wrong one! And so I ask: are you struggling to take away that stone from your life? This message is for you! Continue reading slowly… Cf. John 11:1-45 …On arriving, Jesus found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days already… Mary went to Jesus, and as soon as she saw him she threw herself at his feet, saying, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ At the sight of her tears, and those of the Jews who followed her, Jesus said in great distress, with a sigh that came straight from the heart, ‘Where have you put him?’ They said, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept; and the Jews said, ‘See how much he loved him!’ But there were some who remarked, ‘He opened the eyes of the blind man, could he not have prevented this man’s death?’ Still sighing, Jesus reached the tomb: it was a cave with a stone to close the opening. Jesus said, ‘Take the stone away.’ Martha said to him, ‘Lord, by now he will smell; this is the fourth day.’ Jesus replied, ‘Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and said: ‘Father, I thank you for hearing my prayer. I knew indeed that you always hear me, but I speak for the sake of all these who stand round me, so that they may believe it was you who sent me.’ When he had said this, he cried in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, here! Come out!’ The dead man came out, his feet and hands bound with bands of stuff and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, let him go free.’

POINTS FOR REFLECTION

1. Take that stone away!

Child of God, Martha wanted the stone left untouched so as to keep away the repulsive stench from the decomposing body of her brother Lazarus from the people. Like Martha, there are many persons today who are struggling hard to carefully conceal or keep away the stench from their life from the public and even from Jesus. Yes, even from God! Sometimes, they do this not because they want to remain in their brokenness or die in silence, but because of the kind of persons around them encouraging them to ‘endure’ that it is ‘normal’, that everyone have some hurts they are ‘hiding’. And so, to ‘appear cool’ in public, they conceal their problems using different means. Some may conceal hurts by doing many good, charitable or religious deeds and activities in church. Others may try to suppress theirs by taking to drugs, drinking, smoking and clubbing, etc. But until you summon courage to take that stone away, the stench’ remains! Until the stone was rolled away, Lazarus remained dead! You must roll that stone away to receive the Word of life that commands you out of your broken state. You must take away the stones of sin, anger, lust etc to see the manifestation of God’s glory in your life.

2. Are you questioning or doubting Divine direction?

Sometimes our way of reasoning that raises doubts and questions Divine direction are stones that must be taken away. The Jews murmured saying since Jesus could heal a blind man, why didn’t he prevent the death of Lazarus. Such way of thinking and speaking stands as stones that must be taken away! Martha’s doubt also was a stumbling block- a stone that must be taken away as well. Are you finding it hard to take away the stone off your life because you have suffered betrayal or abuse which raises doubts in you, making you to question Divine existence and direction? It’s time to listen again to Jesus. He says:

‘Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?’ (John 11:40). Resign to God and allow Him into your life, trust His Word and it shall be well with you, believe His prophets and you shall be established once again (Cf 2 Chron 20:20).

3. Your ‘delayed blessing’ is for the benefit of others  Jesus did not respond immediately to the sick call of Lazarus. He stayed extra 2 days and arrived 4 days after his death in order to raise him from the dead. Jesus did this so as to prepare his disciples to accept and believe his own resurrection from the dead. Albeit his Apostles have seen him raise someone who was dead for few hours. This time he wants to show them that God can raise the dead after many days even after the body has started decaying. Child of God, when the manifestation of your blessing delays, don’t panic or be depressed for God is preparing a testimony so great to uplift the faith another.

TASK

Be courageous! Take away that stone preventing you from experiencing inner peace and the glory of God Pray Psalm 130 now asking for mercy and Divine strength to do it.

I Pray for You

May the Lord heal you from your hurts, give you the strength to roll away every stumbling block to your success and may His glory destroy any stone standing against your blessing, in Jesus name. Amen.