Are you afraid you stink?

Do you hide the stinky parts of life because they are just too much? We can learn from John 11.

Jesus and his disciples were doing their thing and a messenger came from Mary and Martha. Come quick! Lazarus is sick. Jesus sent the messenger on his way and went back to eating.

Jesus didn’t show up!

After a day or two, he finally decided to go to Bethany to be with his friends. As he and his disciples walked into town, Martha greeted them “Master, if you’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you.”

So, Jesus and his friends trudged up to the cemetery.

This scene is played out in private lives today. “Jesus, if you had been there, the problems I have wouldn’t have happened. But even now I know you can heal me.”

So Jesus told them to roll the stone away and Martha panicked.

“Master, by this time there’s a stench. He’s been dead four days!”

Often times, when Jesus wants to heal our deep wounds, he first has to roll back the stone – dig up the past and expose it to sunlight.

Our response is often:

• No one will understand. They will think I’m dredging up the past – and people will get hurt!
  • “Master, by this time there’s a stench.”
• That will cause so much pain. I just can’t go there.
  • “Lord, by this time there is a bad odor”
• I should have dealt with this years ago. No one wants to hear it now.
  • “Lord, by this time he stinketh.”

When Jesus and the disciples first took off for Bethany, Jesus said to them “Lazarus died. And I am glad for your sakes that I wasn’t there. You’re about to be given new grounds for believing.”

Is it possible that God knew all along about those areas of your life that needed healing, and when He is ready, He will roll back the stone? Will you let Him?