Our Spiritual Journey

Daily Reading: John 11

Scripture Focus: Lazarus was ill... Lazarus has fallen asleep... Lazarus has died... Lazarus, come out. (John 11.2, 11, 14, 43)

Devotional Thought: As I read the account of Lazarus getting sick, dying, and then rising from the dead, I thought about how that represents our spiritual journey.

Sin makes us sick. All of us have inherited what theologians call ‘original sin.’ That is our bent toward evil, the thing that causes us to rebel against God. We are born with the seeds of this disease in us. Before we reach ‘the age of accountability,’ sin lies dormant as far as our culpability. But when we begin to understand “The Law”, sin comes alive in us. Paul talks about that in Romans 7.

Sin causes us to ‘fall asleep’ spiritually. Jesus described Lazarus' condition as falling asleep. It was a 'sleep' that led to death. Sin makes us drowsy and unresponsive to the Spirit's voice. Unable to hear the Spirit, we become spiritually comatose.

Sin brings death to us. Just as Lazarus' illness stole his life from him, so sin takes away life. From the very beginning, God said it would be so: "For in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2.17). Sin slowly separates the sinner from God, the Source of life.

Jesus calls us out of death and into new life! Lazarus' death was not the end of the story. Even before leaving for Lazarus' hometown, Jesus reassured his disciples that "This sickness will not lead to death!" And the disease of sin does not have to lead us to death. Jesus has the final word and it is the Word of Life. Come out! Sin no longer has any dominion over the child of God. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you that you have conquered sin. Through your death and resurrection, sin no longer has dominion over me. Help me to live in holiness and victory all of my days. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: 1 Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes. 2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated. 3 The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good. 4 He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil. 5 Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. 6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD. (Psalms 36:1-6)