Jesus learned that his friend Lazarus was seriously ill, but he made no attempt to go visit him. In fact, Jesus delayed going to visit his friends, Martha and Mary of Bethany, and their brother Lazarus so that Lazarus could die. After he\u2019d been dead for four days, he finally arrived at their house. He asked Mary if she believed in the resurrection of the dead. \u201cOf course,\u201d she replied. <\/p>\n
\t\u201cI\u2019m the resurrection and the life,\u201d he told her, and then insisted on going to visit the tomb. After weeping over his dead friend, he ordered the stone covering it moved away, then called Lazarus out. The man who had been dead four days, whose body had decayed and was causing a bit of a stink, came hopping out, wrapped in grave clothes but very much alive and well. (See John 11)<\/p>\n
\tSometimes God acts in a completely unexpected manner, after all is obviously lost.<\/p>\n
Years ago my wife and I faced a significant crisis early in our marriage. My wife had decided not to sign a new contract at the private school where she taught. I was a college professor at a small Christian college, which decided to make radical changes in the Bible department so that my contract was not renewed. By the end of that first summer after the academic year, our paychecks came to an end–and neither of us had found a new position yet.<\/p>\n
\tDuring the first week of September, an envelope arrived from an old friend. When I opened it, a bit of currency fluttered to the floor. To my surprise, it was a hundred dollar bill. Five identical bills then spilled out and floated to the ground.<\/p>\n
\tThe words in the letter were short and simple. \u201cGod told me that you were in need of money. Would you mind if I sent you six hundred dollars every month?\u201d<\/p>\n
\tMy friend didn\u2019t even know we were unemployed. But faithfully, every month, an envelope arrived with cash. After about five months, my wife and I got new jobs. Before we could tell our friend, another envelope arrived:\t<\/p>\n
\t\u201cMy sister and brother are going to Mozambique to become medical missionaries. Would you mind if I sent them the money now instead?\u201d\t<\/p>\n
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