It’s all OK
‘Your brother will rise to life’, Jesus told her.
‘I know’, she replied, ‘that he will rise to life on the last day’.
Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; and those who live and believe in me will never die. Do you believe this?’
‘Yes, Lord!’ she answered. ‘I do believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.’ (verses 23-27)
Read John 11:1-27
Jesus is calm when news of Lazarus’s sickness comes through. Even though Lazarus is one of his dearest friends, there’s no agitation, no frantic hurrying to get to him. Jesus even allows enough time to pass for Lazarus to die before he makes a move.
Why? Because Jesus knows everything is OK. Jesus knows Lazarus is going to come back to life.
When you and I die there’s no need for panic or wringing of hands, because everything will be OK for us too: we’ll also come back to life. Because we believe in the one who is life, our death will, in fact, be no more than a falling asleep to wake up to a wonderful new life on the day of resurrection.
When you belong to Jesus everything’s OK. Even in death.
Holy Spirit, assure me that I have nothing to fear in dying but everything to look forward to. Amen.
by Grace Simpson, in ‘New Strength for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 1998)
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