Some Paraphrasing Today

I have just a few verses for you to read this morning or evening as the case may be where you are. 

If you prefer another translation than this one, clicking the word source below will open for you a couple of other translations.

When He arrived at Bethany to see Mary and Martha, the mourning was still in progress. Lazarus had been dead four days and was in the grave. We could say Lazarus was graveyard dead. No chance it was a swoon.

Let’s listen in on JESUS and Martha’s conversation. 
First off, she addresses Him as Lord. That’s very good. Because LORD He is. But she says more.
She says to Him if YOU had been HERE he would not have died.
Oh! did she say a mouthful! If You had been here instead of off saving the world, You could have been here with ME doing what I need You to do. 
Do we ever talk to JESUS that way?
Are we so familiar with Him that we have no hesitation to say just what we are thinking?
I love that we can be that familiar with Him BUT should not we be so familiar with Him that we would automatically TRUST HIM — PERIOD?
THAT is where I want to be with Him, my Friends. I am not there yet.
Some days I’m like Martha. Some days I’m like Mary. Others days  🙂

Okay. What’s next?
FAITH.
She said to Him even though my brother is dead I know You can bring him back to me. 
But there is more.
She knows that all that has to happen for it to be so is for JESUS to ask the Father and it will be done. 

Do we have such faith as this?

JESUS speaks.
He says your brother will rise again. 

And she says. I know that. But that is then. This is now. 
Okay. so that is not her actual words but to me, that is what she is saying. 
Are we not like her?
She wanted her brother alive and well NOW, not having to wait until the Resurrection to see him again. 

Are we any different?

But what does JESUS say to her? 
“I AM the Resurrection and the Life! Whoever puts his trust in me will live, even if he dies;
26 and everyone living and trusting in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 

Do we believe this? 

2 thoughts on “Some Paraphrasing Today

  1. I trust and believe that I will never die because I know and trust the great I AM. That is the reality of eternity. How beautiful! So grateful to my Savior for eternal life.
    Just a side note. Jesus waited to go to Bethany to make sure Lazarus had been dead for 4 days. The Jews and others believed that after 4 days you were REALLY dead They believed that the first 3 days after death the spirit could re enter the body and a person would be resurrected. Jesus waited on purpose so there would be absolutely no doubt that HE raised Lazarus from the dead so that the Father would be glorified and the people would believe that Jesus was the Messiah. It was a true miracle that could not be disputed.

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