Courage to Move Stones

“Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb.  It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.  ‘Take away the stone,’ he said.  ‘But, Lord,’ said Martha.  Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you...’ So they took away the stone.”  John 11:38-41a.

I can really relate to Martha in this passage who wants the miracle of resurrection but doesn’t want to live in the tension between life and death...darkness and freedom.  It doesn’t really matter what her reason might have been, but more what was laying at the base of her objection.  Upon her questioning she most likely overlooked the irony of the situation.  What she coveted for her brother was what she really needed for herself.  She needed the stone of her heart to be rolled away to truly experience freedom from fear...freedom from past pain...freedom from dreaded futures.  ‘Though Martha was clearly uncomfortable with the idea of rolling away the only thing that stood between her and the death she mourned, she chose to obey.  She did what she could do so Jesus could do the rest.’ Lazarus Awakening, p. 100.

Passage says that Jesus was deeply moved by her desire for life, and yet when He gives her the answer she doubts and fears.  Why is it that we resist, tarry or excuse away the answer to resurrecting our lives...our hearts?  If we are honest with ourselves the answer is that deep down we somewhat enjoy our tombs.  It is a place where we feel entitled to hang on to our hurts.  It is a place where our perception of events can be right every time.  It can be a dark little space where we hang on to our will over God’s.  It takes courage to remove a stone and it takes Jesus to empower us with that courage.  How do I know this and how can I be sure He will help me remove my stone...my fear of rejection?  Because when Martha agreed to roll away the stone, our verse says, ‘so they took away the stone.’  I’m choosing to believe that they meant Martha and Jesus.  Jesus will never ask us to do anything that He won’t help us do.  We will never have to push that stone alone, but we will have to give our effort to the task and then BELIEVE!  In 2016 I am committed to remove any stones in my life that bounds my freedom in Christ.  He didn’t shatter tombs for me to rebuild more. 

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again...” Galatians 5:1.