“And when He had thus spoken, He cried out with a loud Voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and food with grave-clothes—and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus said unto them, ‘Loose him and let him go’.”
John 11:43-44
When He frees, He “frees indeed” (Jn. 8:36).
When the anonymous author of the Epistle to the Hebrews wrote “Wherefore, He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him” (7:25a), did He have in mind a partial salvation? When Jesus talked about “coming that we might have life and have it more abundantly” (Jn. 10:10), did He envision that we’d still live such mundane, mediocre and monotonous lives?
Or, did He have something else in mind?
Somewhere along the line we’ve forgotten that Jesus Himself said “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believes on Me, the works that I do shall He do also—and greater works than these shall He do, because I go unto My Father” (Jn. 14:12).
The question, then, is “Do we really believe Him?”
Was Jesus resurrected from the dead just so we’d have hope of “a Place prepared” (Jn. 14:1-3) when we die? Or, did He intend for us to still be bound by fear, guilt, sorrow, doubt, etc., even though He’s said “Come forth” and “Loose him and let him go”?
It’s all about faith, dear Pilgrim.
Simple, childlike faith—and “living in Him” (Jn. 11:26; Jn. 15:1-7).
Think of it:
The God of the universe. . .Who created all that is. . .parted the Red Sea. . .made the blind man to see and the lame man to “leap for joy”. . .is the same One Who takes up residence in our hearts when we’re born again.
Why, then, do we live some paltry, powerless lives?
Simply because of unbelief (Mt. 13:13-21, 58; Mk. 9:23).
So, what is there in our lives that’s keeping us from truly being free? What “strongholds of sin” (II Cor. 10:3-5) are still holding us captive and causing us to settle for less than Christ’s Best? Behold, “The Master has come and is calling for you” (Jn. 11:28b) even as He did for Bartimaeus that day (Mk. 10:46). And, He’s asking “What do you want Me to do for you?” (Mk. 10:51).
Take heart, weary one. Today’s your day—the day of “salvation to the uttermost.” The Lord Jesus didn’t come all the way from Heaven, die an agonizing death on the Cross and then be raised from the dead to leave you bound by the past’s grave-clothes. Even now He’s at the Father’s right Hand, praying for you, and promised to “give you whatsoever you ask in His Name as you pray according to His will” (Heb. 7:24-25; Jn. 14:12-14; I Jn. 5:14-15). Trust Him. He’s willing, ready and able.
By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated January 22, 2010
