God’s better plan

2 Chronicles 25; Zechariah 8; John 11; Revelation 12

A week ago today I prayed all day for the life of my great-nephew and thought of nothing else. I knew Jesus has the power to raise the dead, to heal all manner of illness. With all my heart I hoped He would repair the damage done in an accident.

My prayers were not answered, at least not in the way I hoped. Kyle died. Two thoughts have been a comfort. One, he is with Jesus where there is no more pain and sorrow. Knowing this young man, he is no doubt rejoicing and in a far better place. Besides that, his organs were donated; several people live because Kyle died. Maybe some of them will know eternal life because they were given a new start and because someone may tell them how Jesus died for their eternal well being just as someone died resulting in a longer physical life for them.

Today, the story of Lazarus gives me more to think about. What would have happened if Jesus had raised Kyle?

So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they made plans to put him to death. Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples. (John 11:41–54)

It is easy to think that a miracle would cause rejoicing and faith but with this one, it put in motion a plan to kill Jesus. Mary and Martha and some friends trusted Him because of this, but He had to go into hiding. Not everyone was happy but determined to put a stop to His actions.

I’ve no idea how those without faith would react to a miracle today other than reading this and other biblical accounts of responses to Jesus. His miracles enraged the religious Jews and mystified the Romans. Few people believed. Some were fearful of believing lest they be put out of the synagogue and lose the respect and relationships they had in their lives. Some of them ‘believed’ but only for selfish reasons. After He fed the five thousand, Jesus told them they were interested only in free food. Had Kyle been miraculously raised up would that attract people only interested in added life so they could continue living in sinful ways? I’ve no idea, but God knows.

APPLY: Are my guesses close to reality? All I know is that Jesus knows. And that His will is far better than my wishes. Besides, this life is like one grain of sand and eternal life is greater than all the grains of sand on every beach in the world. Plus that, Kyle is more alive than any of us left here, for now, to miss him. I’m glad that Jesus raised Lazarus, yet in thinking this through, He also raised Kyle – from death to life, eternal life! How can I argue that I had a better idea?!