Deep Water Doubt

John 11:14-15 “So He told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.” ~NLT
 
I was a toddler when I had my first traumatizing experience at a swimming pool. I had been in a class for beginners and had already become familiar with the water and on this day, it was time for me to swim in the deep end on my own. This was not what I wanted to do.
 
As much as the instructor and my dad were telling me that I was safe, I wasn’t trying to hear them. I was looking at how much darker the water looked on that end of the pool. Not only was I worried about drowning, but as a toddler, I had seen ‘shark’ movies and I didn’t’ know what was underneath, settled in that darkness. 
 
My father asked the instructor to leave us for a moment.  He then began to assure me about getting into that pool and doing my best.  My father persuaded me to accomplish the mission I had come to do. I got in and after a lot of yelling and crying, I became aware of my ability to swim.  I had to trust my dad.  He wanted me to be able to swim and not be afraid of the water, so he saw to it that I was prepared.
 
This is what happened with the disciples when they trusted Jesus.  In the text above, Mary and Martha sent for Jesus because their brother was sick.  They knew that Jesus had the power from on High to heal their brother.  But even though Jesus was just down the way from where their brother Lazarus was very sick, Jesus did not come until after Lazarus died and had been dead for four days.
 
Everyone including the disciples knew Jesus could do something as long as Lazarus was alive, but in their minds, it was too late.  Four days dead, hope was gone.  Jesus knew that the miracle that was about to take place was a great one.  So He told the disciples that He was, “…glad…” He wasn’t there.
 
When we form in our minds how God is going to help us in our situations, we have all the hope in the world.  But when that ‘window for what we visualize’ closes, we lose hope.  Because when we can’t see or imagine how God will help us, we give up hope that He will. This is a mindset given to us by the enemy. 
 
Jesus was ‘glad’ because He wanted to teach the disciples not to try and figure out what God is doing, just trust and be ‘glad’ that God is about to perform a miracle in all our lives.  Chapter 11 goes on to show that Jesus brought a man who had been dead for four days, back to life.  In verse 39, the text speaks of how Martha describes a stench because he had been dead so long, but it did not matter.  God brought Lazarus back to the living and all who witnessed saw God’s power through the Son that day.
 
It doesn’t matter how dark the water may seem underneath on the deep end; God will allow you to witness how strong He made you in your worst fears. Today, I love the water and am unafraid of the darkness below. Learn from those who witnessed the rising of Lazarus. They all lost hope because they limited God’s power in their minds. But we must never take for granted what God can do. Let go of the belief in sight, hold on to the belief in Spirit.
 
May the Lord continue to bless and keep you safe as you journey in Jesus’s name,
 
Amen

---