Lift up your eyes

by MCM Director, Terry Durose

The death of a loved one is one of the most painful experiences any of us can face, especially when it seems as though they died before their time.  The two sisters were understandably heartbroken.   The tears still flowed freely even four days after the funeral of their brother.  The comfort of friends, even those who had come to “weep with those who weep” did little to silence the inevitable questions:  “Why did God let this happen?”  “Where was He when we needed Him?”

It’s hard to imagine a more depressing situation to walk into.  The atmosphere was heavy with grief and despair.  Death had won another victory.  Nothing could now be done except mourn the loss and contemplate the inevitability of the grave.  And Jesus was getting blamed for it all.

Mary and Martha had both, in a mixture of disappointment, faith and surrender, told Jesus that if He had made it earlier Lazarus would still be alive.  The Jewish mourners, perhaps more cynically, were making similar statements.   It would have been enough to undermine anyone’s faith that God could turn the situation around.

But Jesus lifted his eyes, and the miracle happened. Lazarus came out of the grave.

Here at MCM we often face situations that would tempt us to despair.   The desperate situations that may of our homeless clients face, the hopelessness that so often accompanies addiction, the sad face of a child experiencing pressures that only adults should know.

If we could not lift our eyes above the horizon of broken human experience to seek God, we would have nothing to offer.   But as we follow Jesus example and fasten our eyes on the one who loved us and saved us, faith grows and despair dissipates.

We may not see many people rising from a literal grave, but we regularly see the power of death defeated and new life come to those who hear our message.   God still overcomes despair, fear, uncertainty and grief.  Just lift your eyes an take a look!