Remove the Stones

Jesus said, "Remove the stone." Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" (John 11:39-40)

There is something compelling for me in these words of Jesus, something that resonates deeply both in the context of this story and in my own life.

I believe this large stone was not the only obstacle that Jesus was referring to in His words here. But the stone had become a symbol of many of the obstacles that Jesus was seeking to have people put aside so that the glory of God, His goodness, love, power and grace might become clear before all.

This stone was standing in the way between Jesus and His friend Lazarus. Could Jesus have simply spoken a word and the stone would have moved itself away? Could Jesus have commanded angels to remove it and they would have done so eagerly as they did at His own resurrection a few days later?

Of course He could have done those things and any number of other options. But God does not interfere with our own freedom to make choices about the obstacles in our own lives. For the sake of developing a genuine and lasting relationship with our hearts, He asks us to take the initiative and remove all the obstacles that we have control over and move them out of the way.

I think of some of the other obstacles, other 'stones' that Jesus had to get past on His way to displaying the glory of God that day. First He was up against the fears of His own disciples who were so intimidated by the threats of the religious leaders that they did not want to even return to Judea even though some of Jesus' closest friends were in desperate need of Him. He was also contending with those same threats Himself, but He chose to ignore them because He always trusted in the guidance and protection of His Father rather than relying on what others thought about Him to make His decisions.

Then He was up against the spreading atmosphere of unbelief that was threatening to undermine the trust of Martha and Mary who's brother He had come to rescue. The pervasive attitude of mistrust in Jesus that infected the hearts of many of the Jews was also being pressed into the minds of these sisters and causing them to question their own relationship with Jesus. Even in the mourning practices the sympathy of others was only serving to press in the despair and reinforce the darkness even more instead of inspiring faith. There is hidden danger in much of what we call sympathy that goes unnoticed and unquestioned.

As He met the sisters individually He sought to re-inspire them to trust His heart even though circumstances seemed to demand a different view of what He was like inside. In His words here He urged them to remember their past experiences with Him and all the things that had so filled their hearts with love for Him in the past. Their faith needed to be strengthened, but not just through a spectacular and unexpected miracle. They needed to rely much more on what He had already taught them and how He had already treated them previously.

This large stone was a monument to all the massive obstacles piled up by Satan who seeks to do everything possible to instill doubt and darkness into the minds of everyone. His evil suggestions that Jesus could not be trusted to really care about people and their needs had already had considerable effect to deepen the unbelief of many. But Jesus said to take away the stone of unbelief so that the glory of God could burst out from very unexpected places.

Interestingly, even later in the story when Lazarus came struggling out of the tomb very much alive but bound tightly with grave clothes, people still did not get it. Jesus had to once again request that people quit standing around gawking and step forward to remove even more obstacles. Even though it was obvious what needed to be done and an incredible miracle was already in progress, people were still not paying attention to the things that were inhibiting God from doing what He so wanted to do.

Another thought came to my attention as I contemplated this obstacle of a large stone in the way of Jesus. In the Hebrew culture, rocks were very closely associated with the idea of God. All throughout the Old Testament scriptures references are made to God as a rock. In the Hebrew mind whenever someone referred to a rock the idea of God would be closely connected in some way. When David took up stones to confront Goliath, he was symbolically sending the message that it was God whom David was sending his way to do whatever God wanted to do as the stone flew through the air.

With that background I find it compelling that Jesus had to ask people to remove the very symbol that they were so used to connecting with their concept of God. This time instead of the symbol of God serving as a protection from harm it was now an obstacle to be removed so that God's true glory and character might be seen more clearly. This large stone had become a representative of the false pictures of God that had grown up to obscure the real truth about Him for centuries. It was distorted views of God created and perpetuated by religious leaders and the chosen people of God that prevented them from trusting Him like they should. It was misapprehension of God that blinded them with unbelief to what Jesus wanted to demonstrate that day about the truth of how He felt about them.

I too have a number of obstacles in my own life that God very likely wants me to step up to move out of His way. He is starting to make me more aware of what some of these things might be even now. Early this morning I was awakened and sensed God addressing me intimately to answer some troubling questions I had in my spirit. He pointed out clearly that the distance I am feeling between us right now has nothing to do with how He feels about me but has everything to do with my inattention to Him and my willingness to be so easily distracted by the enticements and entertainments of this world. He invited me to get up and spend some extra time with Him today like I used to do. Unfortunately I struggled for maybe two hours but was not able to get past the obstacle of my desire to remain in the comfort of my bed even though I wanted to keep listening and dialogging with Him. Was that sin? Well, I do think I missed out on connecting with Him at a level that could have taken me much deeper.

I sense other obstacles too that prevent the glory of God from being more clearly seen in my life. I have inhibiting fears of what those around me think about me, more than most might realize. I have fears of changing too fast even though I am dissatisfied with my current condition. I too often give priority to selfish interests that bring me pleasure but that prevent God from providing deeper satisfaction like what my heart craves for. There are so many things that create obstacles that need to be removed, and yet I feel almost paralyzed just as the people in this story demonstrated to take the initiative and get busy moving the stones and unwrapping His presents.

God, save me from my own pervasive selfishness and fears and the many lies about You that still inhibit my own heart from living in abandoned joy for Your love for me. The more I see inside myself the more selfishness and fear and weakness I perceive. Save me from myself, from my fears and emotional wounds and cause me to see in Your face the real truth about You and how much You really care about me.

Help me to cooperate with Your methods and plans to save me and transform me into a new person. I throw myself on Your mercy; I trust in Your kindness and faithful love and ask You again to come in and heal the damage that still infects so much of my heart and blocks me from trusting You more readily. Fulfill Your promises in Ezekiel 36 to me and do it for Your reputation's sake, not mine.