John 11:11-14 reads...
12 The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon feel better!” 13 They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.
14 So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.
Sometimes I feel like I am dead (spiritually) in many areas of my life where I have become desensatised to what's going on around me in the church and even in the world. I find myself justifying (very good and worthy) reasons as to why I can't do more and "extend my tent pegs"... People around me would sometimes think I am only "sleeping" and also think that it's good for me to take that "time out" or "soulspace" for a "season" (everyone loves the word season!.. I try to!) However it is God alone who knows my heart exactly and where I am at. I feel that just recently he has declared me Dead within many areas of my heart and had to bring me back to life with his unrelenting comfort and love surrounding my hurts and wounds. We cannot come back to life though when we are busy busy busy.. We need to rest in Him but also specifically address those hurts and wounds.
I was thinking too that when my spirit does feel like it is dead, especially in some areas, I start to react like Mary did in verse 32...
32 When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
I often feel sorry for myself and say to God.."well I wouldn't be dead in this area if only you were here and come through for me to answer my prayers! How often do we blame God after things unravel and our faith is depleted?!
In John 11 people were saying "well he can heal a blind man, why can't He heal Lazarus." When I am believing for answers to prayer I find myself constantly thinking how small this request is for God in the big scheme of things! After all, He can do above all I ask, think and imagine.... And yet my faith can't seem to rise to the level needed in that moment.. Arrgh!
So this scripture was a good reminder of the message we heard from Christine Caine at Colour Conference this year when she said arise and awaken!
Eph5:14 says
Awake you who sleep and rise from the dead and he will give you light....
We doze off oblivious to God from all the work and distractions we do for family, friends and church and neglect to take care of the condition of our heart.
Proverbs 4:23 say
Above ALL else guard your heart, for out of it comes the wellspring of life.
So lets awaken to God's alarm clock and not waste time here on Earth for the bible tells us our time here is but a vapour, (scary thought!!) Lets not press the snooze button but be wide awake (and not dead!) ready to fulfil all God has called us to do in our lifetime, for we are the evidence of God here on this Earth.
