The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’” vs. 44
John 11:41-44
What happened with Lazarus was not a resurrection–Lazarus emerged from the tomb, lived out his life with his sisters, and then died. Even so this story has touched our hearts like none other, and has been a favorite of Jesus followers for centuries. It shouts out the triumph of life over death with unmistakable clarity and has given hope to countless persons as they’ve stood in tears at the graves of loved ones. It’s not that we are expecting our dead brother or sister to be reconstituted and climb out of the grave–that’s the stuff of horror movies and has nothing to do with the gospel. But we stand in hope because we are convinced by the testimony of creation itself that death does not have the last word in this universe. The Creator breathed life into existence and life will not be defeated until all has been brought to completion. In the meantime, when our dark enemy does stop by to claim those we love, we pause to mourn our loss, and then move on to alleluias. And then today, All Saints’ Sunday, we gather all around the world to celebrate their new white-robed life in Christ. As names are read aloud we remember the person and give thanks for their new unbound life.
Thought for the Day: What resurrection message do I receive from creation?
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