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Having shown His love for Lazarus, and His sympathy with the two sisters, He
prepared for the next stage to prove that He was the Creator made manifest in the flesh.
He approached the grave and asked that the stone which acted as a door to the cave
should be removed. We read in verses 41-42:
"And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father, I thank Thee that Thou has heard Me.
And I knew that Thou hearest Me always: but because of the people which stand by I
said it, that they may believe that Thou hast sent me."
Jesus cried "LAZARUS, come forth". And he that was dead, came forth, bound hand
and foot and his face bound with a napkin. "Loose him and let him go" said Jesus.
In these two events, we see the intense love, sympathy and compassion of our Lord.
Today we can be assured that in our distress and sorrows, He shares with us and He
supports us continually. But today we do not see these remarkable miracles or signs. But
they do remind us that the day of resurrection will come and those whom we have lost,
and who love the Lord, will arise in His likeness. Then, there will be no more sorrow, or
pain or crying.
The bereaved. While one hesitates to refer to one's own experience, the Psalmist
exclaims "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so" (Psa. 107: 2). The writer will take the
liberty of giving examples from his experience, recognizing that others may have had
quite different circumstances for we are all different by nature and environment.
One who has suffered bereavement needs a strong faith. However much the bereaved
grieves and that grief may be most intense, should it not be possible to believe that God is
in control, and that what God wills is best? If there is complete faith that God over-rules,
may we not remind ourselves of Rom. 8: 28, "all things work together for good to
them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose". The writer
lost his wife after 50 years, and before her death she was worried about many things.
How could she cope if her husband died first? She feared having to go to hospital: and
other worries could be added. But she died suddenly and did not have to enter hospital,
and her husband did not die first. So one could give thanks that the writer's wife was
spared the worries and she did not have to suffer a long illness. Even while feeling a
sense of loss, it is possible to praise the Lord.
The friends of the bereaved. Some people are embarrassed when they have to meet
someone who has been bereaved.
In a local Church magazine, it is said that in Britain there are 3,000,000 widows,
800,000 widowers, and 200,000 children under 16 who have lost a parent by death. A
comment is made that the clergy realize how inadequate their care of the bereaved can be.
There is a National Organization to provide care for Widows and their children called
CRUSE as they consider their work consists of, (1) finding the means of providing a
suitable person to talk with the bereaved, (2) giving practical help where needed, for