if you would believe you will see

The last several months have been with some real challenges. News came rushing in of devastating illness in a dearest loved one that caused in me the kind of fear that can freeze one in place. Trying all that I knew to do, things that had helped in the past, and nothing. Crippling fear was taking hold and seemed to be right under the surface ready to erupt at any moment and swallow me. You know, in the Bible, the words, “Fear Not” are included 365 times! I don’t think this is an accident, one for each and every day. Well, I must admit this was not helping me at all. Friends were praying. Some others were sharply exhorting me to look at the Tree of Life, rather than the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This was, sad to say, not helpful. I am drowning and your advice is to swim! Job knew about this kind of help all too well. I was truly trying and failing miserably. The thing that I feared the most was here. I thought, ‘Am I losing my faith?’ Well, this was not the end. As I was walking through the routines of life I heard a word from the Scriptures being spoken to me directly. The part of the Gospel of John where Jesus is speaking to His close friend Martha at the grave of her dear brother Lazarus. Lazarus is dead and Martha is saying to Jesus, “If You had been here my brother would not have died.” As the event proceeds they go to the grave. Jesus is weeping in anger at the situation and says to Martha, “Have I not told you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” Jesus then commanded that the stone over Lazarus’ tomb be removed and He gloriously called him back from the dead! Right there, right at the grave. “Come Out” At at the command of the Lord Jesus the King of Glory, the dead brother walked out of the grave!

This word was being spoken to me…Jesus was saying this to me. I knew it was Him, or I thought it was Him. Over the next few days, in different and random circumstances this portion of Scripture was being taught or spoken. In one instance, while changing channels on the TV a part of the Series The Chosen was being featured with Jesus saying to Martha, “Have I not told you that if you would believe, you would see the Glory of God?” Each recurrence of this word coming to me ‘randomly’ was confirming that I had been spoken to by Jesus.

The circumstance had not changed. The loved one was no better but the LORD of the Cosmos had spoken and what happened! Fear Left…fear left like a scolded dog. The Scriptures say that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God! I had heard a proceeding word from God, He had confirmed it several times in ways unexpected.

So I believe, and ask and wait. What do you think will happen?