That Stinks

Reading: Job 11-12 and John 11

 

Scripture: John 11:39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.”

 

Thoughts: As I was reading this passage, I started thinking about how so many people talk about how they need to get their lives straight and stop this habit or that habit before they can come to God or go to church. These are all lies from the pit of hell. Here in John 11 Jesus was ordering to have a tomb opened that would have had all sorts of uncleanness in it and yes it probably would have stunk. I have heard this story told by several people claiming it was their story but, a stoner comes to a pastor asking if he needed to stop smoking marijuana to be able to accept Jesus, and the pastor tries to explain that the intoxicated individual didn’t need to stop doing anything to come to God and this stoner not getting it. finally tried asking him, “Do you need to get cleaned up to take a bath?” when the stoner answered “No” the paster told him you don’t have to quit anything, but Holy Spirit will cause a change and that is when you start cleaning. Jesus didn’t tell the sisters to go clean him up before he called Lazarus out of the muck and the dirt and the stench to come walk in a new life. Just as Jesus called Lazarus out, he calls us out of our disgusting mess of a life into a new walk where we are working on growing close to God.

 

Prayer: Father God, you are so wonderful, you call us out of our filth and into your grace and mercy. I thank you for sending you Son to pay the price that I can spend eternity with you. I thank you that I didn’t have to get right and get clean before I could come before you and seek your acceptance. I ask that you continue to refine me and mold me into the man you called me to be. Lead me and guide me, Lord, open my eyes and ears to hear and see you and your path.