By: Max Joyner

Psalm 91:14-16 says: The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation” (NLT).

When we love, trust in, and call on the Lord, we are promised that He will give us his salvation. Our Lord has great things in store for us when we hear His voice and follow His command. We can see an example of this promise fulfilled in John 11: 38-57.

Lazarus is dead and in verse 38, we see his sister Martha, their friends, and Jesus in mourning. Jesus is so moved that He prepares to raise Lazarus from the grave and has the stone removed. Lazarus has been dead for four days and Martha isn’t so sure about this: “Lord, by this time there will be an odor” (39). But Jesus says, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”(40). Jesus is reminding her of the same promise from the psalm: I will protect those who trust in my name.

Before Jesus raises Lazarus, He says a prayer to His Father and gives thanks that Lazarus is going to be brought back from the grave and asks that this miracle will bring more people to salvation.

He already knows that He will raise Lazarus from the dead and now He prays for the people around Him. His prayer is so striking to me because it demonstrates how dedicated to His mission He is. Jesus came to our world to bring people to the Father. He came to die for our sins in order that we may receive salvation. He is actively looking and seeking  opportunities in every situation to bring someone closer, to save as many as He can. He is working hard for the people around him in each situation He is in. It is always comforting to be reminded that Jesus loves us and works to bring us closer to Him.

“He cried in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out.’ The man who had died came out” (43-44). We can think about the resurrection of Lazarus as our own spiritual resurrection. When we are spiritually dead, Jesus mourns this loss and works to give us spiritual life. Just like Lazarus, it doesn’t matter how long we’ve been dead, Jesus can still bring us back. In fact, He can even use our salvation story and testimony to save those around us. When we hear Jesus command us and we obey His words, we have life.

Lord, I thank you for your promises all throughout your word. I thank you for your love and your protection. I thank you that you answer when I call and are with me in times of trouble. I thank you for my salvation and I pray that you can use my spiritual death and resurrection to save others.