Tough Love

"When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was" (John 11:6).


In the beginning of this chapter, we read that "Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus," as if to teach us that at the very heart and foundation of all God's dealings with us, however dark and mysterious they may be, we must believe in and acknowledge the infinite, unmerited, and unchanging love of God. Love can sometimes permit pain. The sisters never doubted that He would make haste and prevent their brother's death, but, "When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was."

What a startling "therefore"! He abstained from going, not because He did not love them, but because He did love them.

Who can estimate how much we owe to suffering and pain? But for them we should have little scope for many of the chief virtues of the Christian life. Where were faith, without trial to test it; or patience, with nothing to bear; or experience, without tribulation to develop it?--Selected


I have, myself, had things in my life that seemed to test my ability to trust. Was God angry at me? Why, surely I felt I didn't deserve to have this bad thing spring up in my path. But it was ultimately for my own good (Rom. 8:28). This passage in John shows that Jesus knew it would be wrong to prevent Lazarus' death. If the Lord were to stop Lazarus from dying then He would never have been able to show Gods ability to raise the dead. Even when things seem bleak......even death.....we must trust. We can't see the end... only God can.