God rolled away her stone. All by His power. All by His grace. All for His glory.
He is still in the stone rolling away business.
If He could do it for Janie, He can do it for you.
"... Lazarus was ill... But when Jesus heard it He said, ' 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... Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, 'Take away the stone.' Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to Him, 'Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.' Jesus said to her, 'Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?' So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, 'Father, I thank You that have heard me. I knew that You always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that You sent Me.' When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come out.' The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, 'Unbind him, and let him go.'" (John 11)
What can I say? What can I add to the Savior who restores sight to the blind, allows the paralyzed to walk, heals the sick, raises the dead? But who infinitely more miraculously and wonderfully, gives new spiritual life to those dead and paralyzed by their sin. Who forgives even the most hardened, hopeless sinner who turns to Him by faith and gives that person new hope, new joy, new peace, new life. Who gives His freedom in exchange for the bondage to approval or addictions or accolades or whatever we desperately seek and crave in this world that never satisfies and always ultimately enslaves. He rolls away stones in lives every single day.
He truly is "The God of all grace." (I Pet. 5:10)
As we walked into the door of our home last night with Janie, all I could think of was "Grace... grace... grace." We don't deserve this miracle. We did nothing to earn it. We did nothing to help it. We simply watched our Savior do what only He could do--roll away the stone we were powerless to move ourselves. We just waited and prayed... along with legions of dear friends who waited and prayed and loved and cared for us all along the way.
And in His infinite grace, we, like the people watching Jesus raise Lazarus, witnessed the power and glory of God in living color.
So that we may believe. "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that You sent Me."
Lord we believe. Help us on the days when our belief flags. Stir up our faith, Father. Remind us of all those stones You have rolled away in our pasts... and do it again, Lord. Might this day be our day to step forth into the freedom of fully trusting in You, the God of all grace. The God of all glory. We don't want to go back to half-hearted belief or enslavement to the sinful habits or attitudes or actions that bound us--free us like Lazarus, Lord.
I say it again:
God rolled away the stone. All by His power. All by His grace. All for His glory.
He is still in the stone rolling away business.
If He could do it for Janie, He can do it for you.
To God be all the glory forever.
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