#ryan iverson

John 11:38-39 

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

Yesterday at church, during our time of worship I felt this scripture drop on my heart and mind. Jesus' best friend had just died. Mary and Martha, Lazarus' sisters, were upset that Jesus hadn't come sooner. They knew that if Jesus did come He would have healed Lazarus. 

I can imagine several days before Lazarus died Mary and Martha were praying, hoping, asking, dreaming and begging that Jesus would come and heal their brother. But He didn't. And Lazarus died. Now, their prayers would have to be that Jesus would raise Lazarus from the dead. Although they knew Jesus could do it, this prayer still required tremendous faith. They prayed and prayed and prayed, but never received what they were asking for.

Jesus finally came to see them. Mary and Martha both expressed their frustration "If you had been here he would not have died." At this point they accepted the death of their brother and were ready to move on. They had processed his death and knew that life wouldn't be the same and that Jesus simply didn't answer their prayers. 

Then Jesus, after expressing deep sadness and emotion of losing his friend, came to Martha and said, "Take away the stone." I want to do a miracle. I want to do the impossible. Despite how long its been, how much you've prayed, how you thought it would work out...I want to do an impossible miracle. 

Then Martha responds by saying "But, Lord...he stinks...he has been there for four days." But, Lord. I've been asking, praying and hoping you would come through and NOW YOU WANT TO DO A MIRACLE? Why not yesterday? Why not when he was alive? Why now? But Lord? This has been dead for a long time. Come on Jesus, because you didn't grant my request, life stinks. Its got a bad odor. You want me to do what?

Take away the stone. Maybe there are things in your life that are dead, stinky, old, dead and gone and you have stopped praying, hoping and dreaming. You've quit. Your faith has gone stale. Your hopes have been dashed. You have simply given up. Now, all you have are excuses about how bad it is. 

My encouragement for you today is this: Despite how long you've been praying, despite how long you've been asking, despite how impossible it may seem at this point...Jesus wants to take away the stone. He wants to do a miracle. He wants to change your life. He wants to do what He promised He would do in and through your life. Don't give up faith. Don't stop believing in His goodness. It may not feel as though He is around to help in your current situation, but the truth is He is. He is coming. It may be in four days, but HE...IS...COMING. Just hold on. Keep praying. Keep having faith. And don't give up.

Ryan Iverson, Werner Herzog Reads Curious George, 2010

Ryan Iverson, Werner Herzog Reads Where's Waldo, 2010