November 17, 2011
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“The Teacher is Asking for You”
These days God continues to remind me over and over how much He treasures personal relationship more than anything else. A few days ago a friend of mine copied me on a devotional he had read. It blessed me and I thought I would share… if you don’t know or understand the background to the verse (Jesus entering the town to raise Martha and Mary’s dead brother Lazarus from the grave), please read all of John 11 before reading the devotional…
~ Now Jesus had not yet entered the village,but was still at the place where Martha had met him (John11, v.30).
What can I learn from this? Jesus iswaiting outside the village where he had Martha to meet with Mary. Jesus islooking for a chance to meet with people individually. Those who have prayedfor him to come and have interceded for others, are the first ones to have anencounter with the coming Lord. Jesus is waiting for our response. So manytimes we are waiting on the Lord to come and help us, but God is waiting for usto come to him. God’s concern for man is to be in relationship. He desires tosee us, he is crazy about us, I am his favorite one. He thinks I am awesome! Hewants to cooperate with us, and move on behalf of our prayers. That is why heemphasizes the need for prayer, it is another way of saying, I want to talk to you,I want you to know my heart for you, I want to be closer to you. Jesus says, ifyou remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and itwill be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit,showing yourselves to be my disciples. Just like Jesus was waiting for Mary tocome out and meet with him, so Jesus is calling out to us, asking for ourpresence, and inviting us to be with him. I find this amazing. Jesus is in nohurry to be in ministry and raise Lazarus from the dead. He meets with Marthaand Mary in private first before entering into public ministry. Jesus is aboutto do one of his greatest miracles to establish himself as Messiah and God’sSon, but He is concerned for this one ex-prostitute from this weird family inthis small village, “the Teacher is asking for you.”
