This Sickness…For God’s Glory

Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha...So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. -John 11:1-5

Recently, I have been looking at the book of John. These verses are uniquely fitting for my current situation.

A (little) man named Benji is sick. He is very loved by his parents and family, just as Lazarus was loved by his sisters and by Jesus Himself. Like Mary, I love Jesus wholly, and aim to honor Him as she did. Like Lazarus' sisters, I have sent word to Jesus and sought His help in prayer. I hope Jesus' words concerning Lazarus prove true of my son: "this sickness will not end in death..." But I know that is not a guarantee.

If you know the story, Lazarus dies and Jesus raises him. The temptation is to whoop and holler about Lazarus being raised, but to do so without considering death is to miss the depth of the text. Lazarus really died, and death is horrible. For Lazarus, Jesus didn’t come. His sisters saw him die and buried him. They mourned openly, and in their mourning they wondered where Jesus had been and questioned Him. Jesus Himself wept bitterly over his friend. Death is horrible and loss is awful.

My son is sick, and could die. He would know nothing else other than that. I would have to watch and bury him. I would mourn and question. I would weep. It would be horrible and awful. I think about this possibility every day. But I also think about the point of it all: "This sickness..is for God's glory" (v4). "I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe...The one who believes in me will live" (v15, 25).

Maybe God wasn't there so you would experience what hurt or death is like, mourn honestly, question God, and discover (or rediscover) His power to bring life where death invades. Maybe He wants you to live again. Maybe He wants you to believe. Death affects and awaits all of us, but resurrection and life await those who believe.

Jesus Christ lives. That is glorious.