Tuesday 08 August 2017

Psalm: Psalm 52

Background

If we're honest, it's easy to claim to have faith when thereappears to be the possibility of something happening, and much lessso when all those possibilities seem to have vanished. As Jesus,the bereaved sisters and the gathered mourners arrive at the tomb(verse 38), the general thinking continues: that if Jesus had beenaround earlier, he could have prevented Lazarus' death (John11:21, 32). That much is easy for everyone to believe. Bringinga four-day-old corpse back to life, on the other hand - now, that'sa tough call, even for Jesus!

And yet it happens (verse 44) - in full view of the grievingsisters and an increasingly cynical crowd. Jesus himself neverdoubted that it would (as he points out in his brief prayer beforecalling Lazarus out (verses 41-42)), but he still needed to dosomething publicly to get everyone's attention. He calls out - andin a scene reminiscent of those old horror films involving mummies,out of the tomb walks the previously dead Lazarus, wrapped up withstrips of cloth from his head to his toes.

To Ponder

• If Jesus had healed Lazarus earlier when he was just ill (asopposed to letting him die first), do you think the response fromthe public would have been the same? Why?

• Imagine being Lazarus for a minute. How do you think he mighthave felt when he realised he was back on Earth amongst theliving?