Men of the Bible Series - If God used Lazarus then certainly he can use anybody.
12 The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!” 13 They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.
14 So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.”
John 11:43-48 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
45 Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. 46 But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. 48 If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.”
There isn't any deep character study here today. Lazarus isn't described to us at all, we do not know if he was a good man or not, we don't know if he was nice to his sisters Mary and Martha. All we know is that he was dead long enough to "stinketh" according to the King James translation.
We do know that God can use anybody in any situation. Jesus told his disciples that he was pleased that there was an opportunity to display his power and help his disciples to believe wholeheartedly. Lazarus wasn't even aware that he was a player in God's plan, he just laid there dead, God didn't need Lazarus to do anything special in order for his plan to work.
As I live each day seeking to know God and his will for my life I know that God can use every circumstance for his glory, some times I am just there unawares that God is using me to bring others closer to him. If I am obedient to the truths that I learn each day as I am "digging the word" of God then I can be an influence on people that I won't ever be aware of.
Help me to live in obedience to your word Lord. I want to be used to bring glory to your name in the things that I do day to day that don't seem to be of much consequence.
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