A Friend
We Have a Friend.
Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died" (John 11:21). Martha implied that Jesus had betrayed the family by not coming immediately when he heard that Lazarus was sick. Now it was too late.
Martha could not have known that Jesus permitted Lazarus to die in order to dramatically prove God's power to raise the dead. But this account illustrates three truths that can help us when death strikes close to home.
(1) Death is inevitable, even for the friends of Jesus.
Pressing On
Keep pressing on. The example of the apostle Paul should inspire us older Christians to make the most of life’s final chapter. Paul wrote the book of the Philippians when he was prisoner in Rome around A.D. 62. His circumstances could easily have discourage him. He was aging. He was imprisoned. His future was uncertain. Paul had many reasons to put his life in neutral and coast toward the finish line. Yet he wrote, “I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forget what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Know Each Other in Heaven?
The two disciples walking to Emmaus knew Jesus well, but they didn't recognize him when he joined them. The resurrected Christ even discussed the Scriptures with them, but they still did not identify him until he joined them for the evening meal. Then he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread. Maybe they saw nail scars in his hands and then were stunned to realize who he was. Following the resurrection, there were several times when Jesus wasn't recognized. Mary Magdalene thought he was the gardener (john 20:14,15). The disciples, fishing on the lake, thought the man calling from the shore was a stranger (John 21:4). Some of the disciples doubted even when they saw Jesus on the mountain (Matthew 28:16,17).
Conscience Clear?
Conscience Clear?
The United States government has had a conscience fund for many years. Its purpose is to provide relief for people who feel guilty about cheating the government.
Max Lucado tells about a letter received in 1994 that read, "I'm sending ten dollars for the blanket I stole while I was in World War II. My mind could not rest."
Many times the amount is small but the guilt is big. One woman sent in two eight-cent stamps to make up for having twice used a stamp that had not been canceled. A former IRS employee mailed in one dollar for four ballpoint pens she had never returned to the office.
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