Do You love me or not? (John 11:1-7) 290307
Whenever I pray, I expect God answers, in one way or another. Sometime the answer can be ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, but sometime I need a clear guidance and hear silence. I pray for healing of my slip disc completely. I know God loves me and can heal me. I have gone through personal freedom and wholeness, and I have great faith that God heals, and this morning I even pray with the disciple’s personality which was taught to me during a leaders meeting. I still believe God loves me and He can heal me! I have no doubt about it!
But the reality is that people see things otherwise. If you are inflicted with sickness or suffering, God must have not love you as much. Or we must have done something wrong or sinful that displeases God that He does not completely release you from that affliction. If God loves you and you love God, then it is equal to He will make you whole; that is free from affliction, pain and suffering. But the truth is that God does not operate in our equation formula.
Apostle John described Lazarus, Mary and Martha were a family who were closed to God and loved Jesus (v2,3). When the news of Lazarus was sick went into the ears of Jesus, He did not go and visit the family immediately, He stayed on where He was for two more days (v6). One must have thought that though this family loved Jesus, but not necessary Jesus loved them too. The truth is that Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus (v5). Apostle John made it very clear and plain that this family loved Jesus and Jesus loved them. But why didn’t Jesus go to them immediately?
We know from the hind sight, that Jesus did this deliberately. He knew that the sickness that Lazarus had was not unto sickness, but for the glory of God (v4). Jesus knew exactly what was going to happen to Lazarus, and we will read more of it tomorrow. But the point is that Lazarus and his two sisters close and intimate relationship with Jesus did not exempt him from this suffering. What do you think was going through the mind of this family?
Does Jesus really loves me? Is it worth for us to love Him so dearly? Why Jesus does not come to us immediately? Even if He is not going to heal Lazarus, He can be here to be with us, the two ladies, to bring us some comfort! Does He love us too? Does He care for us or His glory more? His disciple said He loves us, but why He is not here with us? Where is Jesus? Where is God when we need Him? At least He can be here to go through this journey of pain with us.
Do these sound familiar to you? As I am studying theology, the truth is that I have no answer to these. I am still trying to make some sense and hopefully I can give some answer on the behalf of God through His word, but at the end of the day, the answer to all these thoughts is in your personal relationship with the Lord. Even if you do not see or understand why there is such a delay in His act or even if He does not act; do you still believe He loves you and do you still love Him?
We ask Jesus: Do You love me or not? And God asks you: Do you love Me or not?
I still believe God will heal my slip disc! Because Jesus loves me.
Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak, but He is strong.
Refrain:
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.
Jesus loves me! This I know,
As He loved so long ago,
Taking children on His knee,
Saying, “Let them come to Me.”
Refrain
Jesus loves me still today,
Walking with me on my way,
Wanting as a friend to give
Light and love to all who live.
Refrain
Jesus loves me! He who died
Heaven’s gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
Refrain
Jesus loves me! He will stay
Close beside me all the way;
Thou hast bled and died for me,
I will henceforth live for Thee.
Refrain
Jesus loves me! Loves me still,
Though I’m very weak and ill,
That I might from sin be free
Bled and died upon the tree.
