From March 30, 2018
I love to post this clip, every Eastertime, from The Greatest Story Ever Told, of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. “I am the resurrection, and the life…” This is Jesus Christ the Lord: His works testify that He is indeed who He says He is.
The screenplay adds a nice little touch of irony. Here, the first of the disciples to understand what he has just seen, and to run to Jerusalem to tell everyone about it… is Thomas! Not in the Bible, of course.
Our friend and sister and fellow-laborer, Linda Sorci, has been placed in hospice care. We have one last hymn request from her, through her daughter, Lynn. I think this was Linda’s favorite hymn, In Christ Alone.
This is hard. There is nothing harder than this, when our loved ones are parted from us. Our Lord Jesus Christ wept for Lazarus: He knew He was going to restore Lazarus’ life; but He also knew the pain felt by Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha. He wept for that pain.
Isaiah: “The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men [and women] are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. [She] shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in [her] righteousness.” (Isaiah 57: 1-2)
Speaking only for myself, and for my wife, we feel this loss keenly. We’re only glad we had the opportunity to speak with her and comfort her, just a few days ago, and didn’t miss her altogether.
We pay our tears as tribute. We grieve, but not as heathen who have no hope. Where Linda goes, we’ll go, too.
It’s just awful hard to bear, for now.
Maybe I should’ve reblogged this for Easter Sunday–but when’s a bad time to be reminded of what Our Lord can do? –LD
The music for this hymn was written in 1815. Here’s Gary Chapman performing it solo, with guitar.
Do we, the American people, need revival?
Are you kidding? When Jesus came to resurrect Lazarus, Martha protested, “Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.” (John 11:390) I don’t know that America is yet entirely dead, spiritually–but certainly she stinketh.
May He who called the dead man out of his grave call us.