"Take Away the Stone"

"Take Away the Stone"

"Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
John 11:21 (English Standard Version)

How devastating is it to undergo a divorce? Whom did you run to
first to get some hope? In a desperate situation of any human
being, most of the time we cry out to the Lord. Sometimes we cry
out without any clue of whether God can solve our problems.

I compare the death of my marriage with the death of Lazarus.
Don't you think if the Lord had been in your house your marriage
would not have died?

"Then Jesus deeply, moved again, came to the tomb. It was a
cave, and a stone laid 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 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." When He had said these
things, He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus come out!"
The man who had died came out, his hand and feet bound with
linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to
them,"Unbind him and let him go." John 11:38-44 (ESV)

Most of us are crying to the Lord, and sometimes we are tempted
to think that nothing can be done about our situation. "My
situation is extremely hard with no hope," just like Lazarus
sister said, "Lord by this time there will be an odor." Truly,
there is an odor in your marriage situation, no doubt about
that. But, behold, look carefully what Jesus says to Martha (and
to you today regarding your hopeless situation). Are you doing
what Jesus tells you to do or you are dwelling in the "There is
nothing that can be done about my marriage?" Follow what Jesus
tells you to do.

1. Take away the stone. The stone could be the bitterness in
your heart. It could be shame, or could be unforgiveness, or
could be unwillingness to accept your weaknesses, or could even
be your loved ones. It could be a non-covenant spouse. It could
be pride as to, "Why should I make all the effort on my side?"
But remember, Lazarus was raised from the dead not because he
made any effort, but because Martha made the effort, and obeyed
what Jesus told her, "Take away the stone!"

I pray that today each one of us will ask ourselves, "Did I
remove the stone?" Jesus is telling you to remove the stone.

2. Jesus wants you to believe that He can heal your marriage.
Isn't Jesus also speaking aloud in front of you now, because He
wants you to know that God sent Him? Believe, so that you can
see the glory of God.

You only need to do #1 and #2 above so that Jesus can call
aloud, "Lazarus come out!"

3. Unbind him and let him go. Open your heart for your beloved
spouse. Maybe you are lucky to have them back already. Are the
two of you not getting along? Unbind them and let them go.
Remember that your marriage has just been raised from the dead,
but you need to do one more thing. Unbind them and let go.
Binding could be the time needed for the two of you to get used
to each other. Binding could be having some shame on account of
all what has happened or could be memories of the other person or
other things.

I am praying that this day the Lord will give you hope. Remember
that Jesus is greatly troubled with your situation as you have
truly repented. You are really believing to see the Glory of
God. Jesus is asking you "Where have you laid him?" Did you
show Jesus where you have laid Lazarus?

God bless you.