Be anxious for nothing, but in all things by prayer and supplication make your requests known to God. Philippians 4:6
The progression of events in John 11 tells us about the death of Lazarus but it also reveals a very familiar experience of seeking God in difficult moments through prayer.
One of the very first steps of prayer is calling on the name of Jesus. So the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, he whom You love is ill” John 11:3.
Think about the last time you had a need for which you had to call someone. I am sure this took a lot of humility to do because by human nature a lot of people do not like to ask for help. This is true even when we know that the person is more capable of helping us than we are of helping ourselves. Similarly, calling on the name of Jesus is an act of humility and Jesus is more capable of helping us than we are of helping ourselves.
Prayer also involves going to Jesus to cry out. “So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met Him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You,” John 11:20-22. Martha went to Jesus. This is very similar to the step of going to God in prayer. In addition, she was very honest in her communication with Jesus. Oh, how beautiful it is to be honest to God in prayer. He already knows your heart but for you to expose your heart to Him, is to allow yourself to trust God; it is a way of expressing your trust in Him.
There is a peace that comes from prayer. It happens when your vulnerability to God leads to an exchange whereby you cast your burdens on His feet, and in return receive rest. “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes and believes in Me shall never die,” John 11: 25-26. Having gone to Jesus and cried out, Martha’s answer from Jesus is an example of how through prayer, one can be reminded of who God is.
There is power in praying together. In addition to Martha going to Jesus to cry out, Mary also went to Jesus to cry out. The scripture says when Jesus saw Mary weeping, He was deeply moved. “When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet saying, to Him, “Lord if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in His spirit and greatly troubled,” John 11:31-33. Today, this perhaps may look like a friend praying on your behalf. There is power in praying together.
God will answer according to His will. “But when Jesus heard it He said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it,” John 11:4. We all know how John 11 ends; with Jesus raising Lazarus from the death. However, we also know that in our own lives, when we pray, God’s response will be for the glory of God.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I thank you that You have offered me free access to communicate with You. You said that to whoever believes, You have given them the right to become children of God. Thank You for this free gift that is accessible to me by faith. I pray that I will take advantage of it daily and call on Your name, humble myself and cry out to You in my point of need, open up and trust You with my heaviest burdens, help others carry their burdens and allow others to help me carry mine and above all remain confident that Your will is greater than mine. In Jesus’ name, Amen.