Blog Layout
Deeply Troubled Before the Miracle
Andrea Lende • November 4, 2020
John 11:33 and 38
Deeply Troubled Before the Miracle
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Deeply-Troubled-Before-the-Miracle-em11qn
John 11:33 and 38
“When Jesus saw her sobbing, and the Jews who came with her [also] sobbing, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. [He chafed in spirit and sighed and was disturbed.]”
“Now Jesus, again sighing repeatedly and deeply disquieted, approached the tomb. It was a cave (a hole in the rock), and a boulder lay against [the entrance to close] it.”
These passages are recorded during the time just before Lazarus was to be brought back to life.
Jesus was visiting Mary and Martha and was planning on doing this miracle to help increase the belief of the people.
As He congregated with them, He saw the grief of all those around Him and, He too, became sad.
The Bible says, “He wept”.
His Spirit was greatly moved.
The Word says He became more agitated and disquieted as He approached the tomb.
As the miracle was before Jesus, He was sad, agitated, troubled, and moved.
The Lord interceded for this family.
The Lord intercedes for us as well.
This passage gives us a glimpse of the feelings the Lord has.
I believe He prays for us with all of His being as He intercedes for us.
He is not absent from our troubles.
Even though we may feel abandoned during dark times, the Lord never leaves us.
He is closer than we think and closer than we know.
During these difficult times, we must believe in the Lord and His ability to do miracles in our lives just as He did two thousand years ago.
Our spirits may feel disquieted, agitated, and sad just before our miracle is about to occur.
We need only believe in the Lord, Jesus, our God and King.
There is nothing He cannot do.
Today I choose to believe the Lord is interceding on my behalf with all His heart and that He is preparing the way for a miracle.
May you find that Jesus is praying for you with all His might and that He is already planning for your miracle.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for showing me You are interceding on my behalf. Thank You for showing me that You have a miracle in mind for me and the family You have given me. Help me be patient and wait on You to do what only You can do, Father. Increase my faith and belief in You so I am not moved by the circumstances that surround me. Thank You for showing me that all things come to pass for Your glory. May all glory be Yours, Lord. May the trials I face become triumphs as You work Your miracles. Thank You, Lord, for all You do and all You are. Continue to feed my spirit with Your Word and Your Holy Spirit. Help me be consumed with You instead of the cares and worries of this world. Thank You for showing me Your grace, mercy, and wonder working power, Lord. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM working in all of your circumstances, My child, and no harm will come to you.
Response: Thank You, most gracious and powerful God.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.