December 21, 2020: SOAP #4036:  John 9-11

SCRIPTURE:  John (NIV) 11:3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” …17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. …21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. …37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”…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.”…43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out,

OBSERVATION:   What caught my attention as I read this chapter is that Mary and Martha’s deadline for Jesus to heal their brother was not Jesus’ deadline.  When the deadline passed, so did their faith.  Jesus was not required to live by manmade deadlines.  He refused to do so.  He had something better ahead!!!

APPLICATION:   Sometimes Jesus moves ahead of our deadlines; we rejoice.  Sometimes Jesus moves beyond our deadline; we panic.  My faith in Jesus must not be limited by manmade deadlines.  “Lord if you had only done this by yesterday. Lord, if you had only provided last week.” I cannot put words in His mouth or change the Word to cover my wants.  No!  My faith must solely rest upon His word and my knowledge of His character! 

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, remind me of this when I start to panic and doubt if you are ever going to help me.  I am your servant.  I trust you.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity! 

Personal note:  The doctor asked me to eat regular food today to see if the fluid draining from me would return to its cloudy appearance as at the beginning.  Shortly after breakfast, it did.  When the nurse assistant came to check my blood sugar before lunch, I gave her a hard time; my fingers are sore from being poked!  I had a bad attitude and took it out on her.  I went into the bathroom (which I needed to do) and took my time (which I did not need to do.)  When I returned, she had called the head nurse and they agreed that I could refuse.  After she left, I realized that I had just eaten my first breakfast in four days and checking my blood sugar would have been the right thing to do.   When she returned, I apologized to her and the nurse for my attitude.  (Last week in the VA hospital I had to apologize to a Resident doctor for purposefully hanging up on her during a phone conversation.)  I get along with everyone quite well; the person giving me the most trouble is ME!  😊  In the morning, the radiologist will do a procedure to block the injured vessel.  This is a rare problem; he did three during his residency, but I will be his third since.