To be Loved Like Lazarus

We all want to be loved by Christ like Lazarus was. The thing is, we are. In John 11 we read the news Jesus recieves regarding the death of Lazarus. Christ goes to the place where he was buried and there Jesus wept. His love for Lazarus was so great that even though He knew that He could raise him from the dead, He experienced loss as we do. This is just one example that shows us that Christ feels everything we feel. His love for us is just as great. If it wasn't, He would have never bled and died on a criminals cross. He shed His own blood to save our sinful souls.

Romans 5:8 KJV "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

We will never be more loved than we are by Christ.

"You're more than enough
I'm already loved
I'm already chosen
I know who I am

I know what You’ve spoken

I'm already loved

More than I could imagine

And that is enough"

~Jireh by I Am They

Romans 8: 37-39 KJV "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am pursuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

These verses prove Christs love- nothing can separate us from His great love.

We then see at the end of John 11 when Christ calls Lazarus to come out of the grave. I believe this miracle was done for many reasons. Here are just a few:

1. For those bystanders watching whose faith in Christ was on a sliding scale. This made their faith increase and become firm. Verse 42 proves this "And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me."

2. It was another part of the process to continue with the path to Christ's crucifixion. In verse 53 it says, "Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death".

3. Christ wasn't done with Lazarus. He still used him for His good. We see in chapter 12:9-11 that because of Christ raising him from the dead, many poeple wanted to see him for themselves. This act helped them believe in Christ.

Christ is a God of last minute change and direction.

Everything happens for a reason. Just because circumstances are not going in the direction you would like, your prayers you've been consistently praying are not being answered or whatever the case may be, doesn't mean Christ doesn't love you. He sharpens and strengthens us through hardships. He wants us to grow and mature in our Christian walk. He gives and He takes away for our good. We are His children and that is what a father does. That my friend is the very definition of the love of Christ.

1 John 3:1 KJV "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:..."

The devil loves to put thoughts in our minds to make us feel unloved and lonely. I struggle with these type of thoughts now and then but I always have to speak truth to myself on how Christ actually feels about me. Reminding myself of scripture always helps. This will be a struggle that I believe will be constant with many because the devil knows what he is doing and how to get in our heads.

1 Peter 5:8 KJV "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:"

*The love of God covers all His children. It's a love never ending regardless of our thoughts or actions.

~JuneAnn Miller