As a child, I remember going on a mission visit to a ‘poor house’, which felt more like a home for abandoned elderly people than a home for the aged. My word, it was an experience. I remember the smells, the food, the sights and trying to bring hope despite feeling that it was hopeless for them. Have you ever been there – in your own lives? Consider today’s Holy Nougat.
“A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha … So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days.” John 11:1, 5-6 NLT
I began with the context of the poor house, because etymologists suggest that Bethany transliterates as ‘house of figs’ or ‘house of affliction’. And, with the absence of parents and a sick brother, life would have been tense for Martha and Mary. You see, although the nougat noted the women as the ‘responsible adults’ in relation to the living arrangements, single women – especially those with property – with no male benefactor were prey to male counterparts. (For more background see Genesis 38; Numbers 27; or Jesus’ comment on abuse of widows in Mark 12:40).
One also wonders, if the city was named ‘affliction’, whether Bethany had faced a season of deadly virus, like Wuhan, China is now affiliated with the Coronavirus. If that’s the case, then it could perhaps explain the absence of the parents, and more critically, the concern for Lazarus’ life. (Reflect, if you would, to the typical response now when someone has a cough. We often need the assurance that it’s not Coronavirus! How much more so in an era when medication and vaccines were less likely to exist!) I suggest to us that Jesus was Lazarus’ only hope.
We note that situating the siblings in Bethany might have been a literary device – to prepare the readers for what was coming next. Biblical place names are often very significant, but it might be a stretch to assume that it is intended to indicate that Lazarus’ experience would be a season of affliction.
Nevertheless, Lazarus was seriously ill and, owing to their personal relationship with Jesus, the sisters sent word to Him. I presume that they did so with the full expectation that He would respond and do something forthwith. Despite Jesus’ love for Mary, Martha, and Lazarus – we know He stayed away way longer than would be considered helpful. He chose to stay in the town he was for two extra days. Even that is somewhat exceptional as Jesus is presented as a very itinerant minister – covering lots of communities in a short time. And, we also know from the healing of the centurion’s servant and of the Canaanite woman’s daughter that Jesus could have just spoken words of healing and Lazarus’ situation would have been reversed. Can you imagine their surprise when nothing changed and Jesus didn’t come back with the messenger? If you were the messenger and Jesus didn’t respond, what would you do?
Waiting on God’s purpose and plans can sometimes feel like its own season of affliction. Especially when our situation is urgent and requires immediate attention.(Take my word for this one, I can write a book based on my own experiences!). And what is our response when we are in our seasons of affliction and God seems so distant? I urge us to note that God’s silence is not indicative of God’s love for us.
May I then leave with us the following nougat
“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT
God bless you
—
May all we seek be found in Christ
