I Am

Two sisters heartbroken

One brother dead, lying in a tomb.

One man who should have been there to stop this.

All three bound together in a time and event that would bring the Father

glory and honor.

The two sisters knew the day would come when death

would invade their family...death is a certainty.

The brother probably didn't think much about death

until he found himself bedridden.
Maybe he too had questions and thoughts as to why

Jesus had not come.

Did the man doubt?
Did he grow angry at God?
Or was he simply given over to the truth that

he was going to die?

Jesus arrives 96 hours to late.

The funeral has taken place.

Life has moved on, but it offered no peace

or relief for the pain the two sisters were feeling.

There was an emptiness to the lives of those who knew

Lazarus.

Do you ever stop to think that when his mother named him,

that she knew that one day his name, Lazarus, would forever

be associated with the power of God?

That his  name would forever be linked to coming back from the dead?

Martha runs to meet Jesus.

Overcome by the grief and maybe even some anger for

his tardiness, Martha launches into him.

"If you'd been here, this never would have happened."

But what she could not see or understand, this was all God's timing.

God's purposes far exceeded what Martha wanted.

Does that mean her tears were wasted on a God who didn't care?
No...

Her tears and the grief in her heart only made God aware of how 

fragile life is and how short his creations time is here on earth.

With much love in his voice, Jesus told Martha---

"Your brother shall rise again!"

But Martha's grief clouded her understanding as she

perceived Jesus to mean at the last resurrection.

Then Jesus spoke with a voice that was older than time itself.

With a voice that transcended the words written by Moses in Exodus...

Lazarus shall rise again

Because

"I am"

Not I was...
Nor I will be...
But "I am"

The present, almighty God who holds the power to heal and restore.

Believe and you will see the dead brought to life again.

I see it every week....
I see dead men and women walking around

bound under the curse of addiction.
I see tomb-livers and cemetery dwellers living under death's curse

bound by memories that will not let them go.

I have seen the power of "I am" as he calls them out of their

tomb to new life.

I have seen the grave clothes stripped away from them

so that they could walk and run and be free.

This isn't a fairy tale or an attempt to persuade you one way or the other.

IT is simply a statement of truth.

Jesus is the way if you want to change.
Jesus is the truth if you want to break free from all the lies.

And

Jesus is the life if you want him and what he can do for you..

why?
Because....

He is the great

"I am"

God on you

mb