August 5, 2015
The Glory of God Changes Everything…
Forever Changed
The Glory of God is found in His presence…The Glory of God is found in His Love…The Glory of God is found in the Father…The Glory of God is found in the Risen Lord…The Glory of God is found in the Spirit which inhabits His people…The Glory of God is found in Creation’s anthem… The Glory of God is found by those who believe…
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed that you would see the glory of God? John 11:40 NIV
Relationships…What amazing blessings…sometimes! Every healthy relationship requires hard work and prayer; honestly, even the difficult and challenging relationships require hard work and extra prayer! And our blessings of family members, our children, our spouses, our parents, our siblings propel us, set us in motion, driving us to our knees as we seek our Lord God. Circumstances drive us to our knees as we discover that we cannot do life without Him…And through belief and faith…He shows us His Glory!
Show Me Your Glory!
Dr. Luke records (chap.10) that sometime in the fall of A.D. 29, Jesus and His disciples visited the home of his friends in Bethany, because Jesus was on His mission of people-building and Kingdom-building which all began with relationship-building. He stepped into the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. And we know that Martha was stressing and fussing over the preparation of the meal for her guests and when she discovered her sister sitting at the feet of their guest, listening to Him. She was so frustrated and put out that she, perhaps, stomped her foot with her hands on her hips and emphatically expressed her disdain, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
O my, talk about a gaffe, a blunder, a faux pas! This female home-owner, making a demand of her Lord, in the presence of all of her guests, completely losing her patience, wearing her favorite fussy pants, obviously interrupting Jesus! Interrupting God as He spoke, as He taught about Kingdom business… (Hmmm, how many times have I interrupted God?)
I can only imagine the hush which must have occurred in the room as the Lord Jesus Christ stopped His conversation and raised His eyes to gaze into Martha’s frustration. He spoke, “Martha, Martha…” as He reminded her that her fuss and her worry distracted her from things which were of significant and eternal value; those very words that Mary was hearing and experiencing were moments which could never be taken away from her, Yes…
First things First and a Glimpse of His Glory!
I am totally convinced that this event which Luke recorded was an amazing revelation in the lives of this family. The voice of Authority and Truth pierced Martha’s heart as she stood in the presence of the man who came to save her from herself and from all which held her captive…And this man saw into her heart…spoke into her life…called her by name…telling her about the Truth which matters…the things of value…He was trustworthy…worthy of her trust. First things first! And, these sisters beheld a Glimpse of His Glory…the Glory of God…because, in His presence, they began to believe…
The Glory of God…Forever Changed
I just love how our Almighty God does not give up on us. I know that He doesn’t because He has had many opportunities to set me aside…to give up on me and my dismal failures…Like, Martha, I become distracted…like Martha I become frustrated and place the blame on others…like Martha, I allow life to shift my focus…like Martha, I whine and complain, not so much to the people in my life…but quietly…privately to God…And then, the still small voice whispers my name when I allow Culture Chaos to interrupt my peace and to rob me of my joy. When I forget to put First things First…
And Jesus did not give up on or forget His friends, in fact, John reports in Chapter 11 of the Gospel that Jesus visited His friends a second time. In the winter of A.D. 29, Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, lay ill and the two sisters sent word to the “One whom they trusted…the One whom spoke Life. John reminds us in verse 5 that Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus! Wow, I cannot tell you how encouraging this is to me to know that Jesus loved Martha in spite of her very unattractive and inappropriate and wrong-hearted behavior. He loved her. And through her faith and belief in who He was…and through the faith of her siblings…They experienced the Glory of the Lord! And they were…
Forever Changed…
But, Jesus and His disciples arrived too late in the minds and the hearts of the sisters and their broken and grieving hearts tear at the human heart of their Lord, because Lazarus died. We are told that Jesus wept, not because his friend has died, because Jesus knows that Lazarus will indeed live but He weeps because of the broken and grieving hearts of Martha and of Mary. He identifies with their loss…with their grief. We are told that all of this occurs so that others will believe, so that His Glory will be seen by His disciples, by the Jews, by Martha and by Mary, by Lazarus…So that His Glory will be seen by generations…by you and by me…And the Son of God, the Savior, the Lord commands that Lazarus rise up and that he walk from within the tomb. Lazarus appears in life…and comes forth from a dead man’s tomb… The Glory of God was amazing…It was awe-inspiring…It was overwhelming…
John reports that many Jews who had visited the grieving sisters…saw and witnessed what Jesus did and they believed…they put their faith in Him…They saw and experienced His Glory!
Forever Changed!
I am absolutely certain that Martha and Mary were terrified at the thought of losing their beloved brother to physical death. Many of us can identify with this feeling…the very thought of illness and the physical loss of a dear family member or friend evoke fear and grief…
Because of the value of relationships, the separation from family members is difficult and challenging. I know parents that attest to the fact that their children begin screaming when their car pulls into the parking lot of a location which requires the temporary separation from their parents. To them I say and assure that this behavior does not continue into college years, or high school, or middle school, rarely elementary. Toddlers often experience separation anxiety as they are slipped into the church nursery with the nicest people in America and yet, they begin their wailing at ear-piercing decibels…just because they do. Yes, this too passes…
Many of my friends are transitioning in their families…Some are moving closer to the empty nest for the first time and they are collecting and cherishing every moment as they celebrate new ages and new stages of their family members…their children. I so clearly remember the morning that we moved our first child, our son, Adam, into the athlete dorm at Baylor…He was stoic…and we, his parents had to follow suit. I am still forever beholden to his suite mate’s mom who whisked all four boys up the stairs to give them a crash course in bathroom cleaning…AKA “The Tidy Toilet”. I will forever remember watching all four boys obediently and compliantly march up the staircase following the mom with her toilet brush and cleaner in hand…Bill and I took leave…driving home in silence…
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed that you would see the glory of God? John 11:40 NIV
Other friends are caring for parents and loved ones who are being positioned for their final transition…into eternal life. And I clearly remember making the transition with my sweet wonderful mother-in-love, Bill’s mom as she came to spend her final weeks in this world with our family. We had the privilege of loving her and serving her and praying with her…laughing and crying with her…and mourning…then dancing…
His Glory Changes Everything!
What I know to be true about our amazing God is that in the most difficult circumstances…He is there…He is present. In the most desperate and frightening circumstances of life…He is present and He is there. In the most joy-filled moments…He is present…He is there. He and all of His Glory!
He is present when our toddlers struggle with separation from their parents…when they have to learn to be alone in a bedroom to fall asleep at night…He is there…He is present.
He is present when our high-school graduates leave home to engage in collegiate life…He is present…He is there…
He is present when parents are struggling with the emptiness of the kitchen table, the quietness of the bedrooms…He is there…He is present…
What I know to be true about our amazing God is that in the private moments before your child’s wedding as you bid them love and blessing…He is there…He is present…He and all of His Glory!
What I know to be true about our amazing God is that in the months, and weeks, and days, and moments of caring for aging or ill loved ones…He is there…He is present…Jesus grieves with you…Jesus gives new life!
And, I know that in spite of the fears of Martha and of Mary, He was present!
His Glory Changes Everything!
I have learned that when I have fears and worries that grip me, I am failing to take into account the promises of my Faithful God! Through each life circumstance, when I trust Him and believe that He is who He says He is…His Glory fills my life…preventing me from gazing at anything else…at anyone else…at my worries…or my fears…or concerns…or distractions…
And, I have learned that He uses all…all…yes, all of our circumstances for his Glory…He takes the hard and difficult events…our illnesses, the illnesses of loved ones, the death of our loved ones…and makes a sweet story of His love and His faithfulness. I know!
He takes the messiness of family life when I mishandled toddler and teen times and made a sweet story of His faithfulness. I know!
He took my aching heart when we empty-nested and filled it again with a sweet story of His faithfulness…
Today, He continues to write a sweet story in the midst of circumstances and challenges…for you and for me…He did it for Martha, Mary and Lazarus…as they believed…for His Glory!
And I know that He continues to write my story…He continues to write your story and He understands your challenges, your fears, your concerns, your grieving… He understands your joys, your celebrations, and your victories… I pray that you and I continue to grow in belief that He is the faithful, Glorious God…King of Kings…Lord of Lord…Mighty God… Yes, my dear friends, the Glory of God Changes Everything…In His Presence we are Forever Changed!
Abundant Joy,
