Daily Devotion with Pastor Tong Liu: Daily Devotion

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english

John 11:1-6

Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick." When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.

When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. Sometimes it is hard to fathom the ways of the Lord! His beloved Lazarus was sick, Mary and Martha were anxious, expecting Jesus hurrying to come save Lazarus. How can we wait if it's in our shoes? Our loved ones are sick, hurry up and go! Indeed He knows what to do. Jesus Christ calmly stayed where he was two more days, because the Lord said clearly in verse 4, "This sickness will not end in death. It is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." Although the Lord expressed clearly, the people around him may not understand it. They heard those words but they had a hard time figuring how to carry out that matter.

When we fail to see the road ahead, we are so anxious because we always try to use our own methods. One can try the best methods but one can never think of God's ways. Just when the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, there was the Red Sea ahead and the army pursuing them from behind, even though God said, "My ways are in the deep water." But the Israelites then could not have imagined the ways. Only until the Red Sea parted and became dry land, then they suddenly realized: The Lord's ways are in the deep water!

It's as well when the Israelites attacked Jericho. One cannot ever imagine God's ways, because who can come up with this ways of attack? God asked the Israelites to march around Jericho once each day, march around seven times on the seventh day, give a loud shout after the seventh time and the wall of the city collapsed! Brother and sisters, God's ways are over ours, God's wills are over ours. When we are under trials, we need to know God knows his ways, He is always calm. When we worry, let us come and cry out before God, He will guide us in His own wonderful ways.

Pray with Pastor Tong

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Dear Lord, we thank you again, because you are the God of wonders. May you take away our anxiety; let us turn to you, because you are the God that works for people who wait for you. We pray and give thanks to the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!