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Written by Deanna Brooks, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas
“Lazarus! Come forth!” The voice of Jesus echoed deep into the place where the redeemed await. Can you imagine what Lazarus thought, as he heard his name called? Did he look at the other dead and say, “I hear my Friend calling”?
Jesus had received a message that Lazarus was sick, yet He did not go…He responded, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4). He waited until Lazarus had been dead for four days…He had a purpose in waiting… for the glory of God.
When Martha came to Jesus, we see she affirmed her faith in Him as the Son of God, yet she was still filled with questions and doubts.
John 11:25-27 (ESV): “Jesus said to her (Martha), “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
I am reminded of Mark 9:24 when the father of the child with unclean spirits said: “I believe; help my unbelief!”
We, like this father and Martha, believe, but sometimes we struggle with doubts when Satan attacks and encourages us to question what is happening.
In John 11:15 we read: and for your sake I am glad that I was not there [when Lazarus died], so that you may believe. But let us go to him.
Jesus’ disciples, who had seen His many miracles, still struggled with belief.
Martha believed in the resurrection of the dead (John 11:24), but I wonder if she realized she was face to face with the One who made the resurrection possible.
Martha went and called Mary, telling her the Teacher had come, and friends who had come to comfort Mary followed her as she went to Jesus. Upon seeing Mary’s tears and grief, Jesus wept.
When Jesus asked for the stone to be rolled away, there were protests… and Jesus again reminded them that if they believed, they would see the glory of God (verse 40).
The “glory of God” is the manifestation of God’s presence. Jesus wanted them to understand they were in the presence of the Holy One… that He was with them. He had already told them that He and the Father are One (John 10:30).
Before calling for Lazarus, Jesus prayed, thanking the Father for hearing Him. What an example for us… to be always aware and thankful that our Father hears!
When Lazarus came forth, Jesus commanded he be unbound from the burial clothes. What do you think was going through Lazarus’ mind? Did he remember those four days?
The narrative about Lazarus ends, but John tells that many believed, which angered the chief priests and Pharisees, and they began plotting to put Jesus to death.
Because of the threats to His life after raising Lazarus, Jesus and His disciples withdrew to Ephrium in the wilderness about 13 miles northeast of Jerusalem. People had seen Lazarus raised after four days, and their belief in Jesus was concerning to the religious leaders who wanted to continue holding power.
In John 12, Jesus returns to Bethany, and Lazarus gives a dinner for Him. It appears to me that life is back to “normal” for Lazarus… he is welcoming people into his home. It is at this dinner… six days before Passover… that Mary anoints Jesus with pure nard, an expensive ointment.
Within another week Jesus has been tried, crucified, and has arisen from the dead, victorious over Satan.
From this account we learn:
1. Turn to Jesus. The sisters sent word to Jesus before Lazarus died. They knew where help was.
2. We may struggle in faith at times. Jesus did not reprimand Martha when He saw her struggle…He simply encouraged her to believe.
3. Things don’t always happen on our time frame. There are times we have to wait.
4. Pray to the Father in faith and thanksgiving.
5. Continue doing good to bring glory to God, so others see Him in us.
We don’t have all the details we might like after Lazarus was raised, but we put our faith in the One who has power over death, knowing the time will come when He calls us to Him!
#IronRoseSister #HIStories #resurrection #guestwriter
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Written by Alina Stout, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas
I didn’t realize how much I needed Iron Rose Sisters in my life. I didn’t realize how much strength, encouragement, truth, faith, and love would be a part of a relationship with an Iron Rose Sister. I didn’t realize how important Iron Rose Sisters would become to me until I realized that God gave me these sisters in Christ as a spiritual lifeline who help me stay connected to Him. What’s more, part of my realization is that God has given me as an Iron Rose Sister to others in order to help them stay connected to God, as well.
There are many types of seasons involving changes and challenges, and we all go through them in one way or another. I have found myself in one of those seasons as I am recently married, currently student-teaching, nearing graduation, and anticipating moving. I have found that more often than not, either my most difficult day of the week or my best day of the week “happens” to be the day of the week that I meet with my Iron Rose Sisters. This means that my challenges swell on the day that I have an opportunity to cry with women who love me, to listen to women who fill me with God’s truth, and to be prayed over by women who are prayer warriors. I have watched, again and again, how God has directly answered and even promptly answered the prayers of my Iron Rose Sisters. On my best days, I can share my strength and peace of mind with my Iron Rose Sisters who are struggling. I have a chance to listen to them, to cry with them, to offer hope to them, and to pray over them. This mutual relationship is truly a tremendous blessing from God.
The commitment we can make to our sisters in Christ reminds me of the commitment that Ruth made to Naomi. Ruth and Orpah were Moabites who married into an Israelite family who were living in Moab during a famine in Israel. They experienced with their mother-in-law, Naomi, a season of change and challenge when they all lost their husbands and were forced to find a way, as women, to provide without having other family around. Both Ruth and Orpah were an incredible support to Naomi while she was separated from her relatives. When the famine was receding and Naomi could finally return home to Bethlehem, she told her daughters-in-law that they could return to their own homes in Moab. After much convincing, Orpah did leave. But what about Ruth? Ruth “clung” to Naomi (Ruth 1:14, NIV). She not only clung to her physically, but also chose to cling to Naomi for life. She chose Naomi’s homeland as her own. She chose Naomi’s will as her own. She chose Naomi’s family as her own. And, she chose Naomi’s God as her own.
When we cling to our sisters in Christ, the family we are choosing as our own is the family of God. The homeland that we are choosing is the kingdom of God. The will that we are choosing is the will of God. The life we are choosing is the good life that comes from being a part of God’s family. When we cling to our Iron Rose Sisters, we are choosing to keep each other near to the refuge of God.
Being committed to another sister in Christ is a commitment that God loves and blesses. After all, loving others this deeply is close to God’s heart! Boaz, a man of God and kin to Naomi, noticed Ruth and her incredible support of Naomi. Boaz spoke a prayer of blessing to Ruth, saying: “May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge” (Ruth 2:12, NIV). The women of Bethlehem were amazed by Ruth as well. They recognized Ruth for her love for Naomi and considered her to be better to Naomi than seven sons! In a day where sons carried the family name, this speaks of a huge impact that Ruth had on Naomi’s life! (Ruth 4:15, NIV).
Now, we must not overlook that Ruth’s support for Naomi was mutual! While Ruth was caring for Naomi, Naomi found a way to care for Ruth by finding Ruth a home where she would be loved and well-provided for through Ruth’s marriage to Boaz. Ruth, after all, was facing her own struggles as a widowed woman.
Our relationships with our Iron Rose Sisters are mutual relationships of love and care. We face our own challenges, and through it all we depend on each other. We pour into each other. We bring each other back to God. We cling to each other through the ups and downs of life, and God blesses our commitment to each other in incredible ways.
What are some ways that you have seen God bless your relationships with your Iron Rose Sisters?