The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 22 March 2024 – Resolve To Be At Jesus Feet
TOPIC: Resolve To Be At Jesus Feet
READ: John 11: 30-44(NKJV)
- Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him.
- Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”
- Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
- Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.
- And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”
11:35. Jesus wept. - Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”
- And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”
- Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.
- Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been [dead] four days.”
- Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”
- Then they took away the stone [from the place] where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up [His] eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
- “And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said [this,] that they may believe that You sent Me.”
- Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”
- And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”
THE MESSAGE: Mary separated herself from the company of mourners and fell at the feet of Jesus to express her worship and total commitment to him despite the agony and pains of the loss of her brother, Lazarus. She trusted Jesus and believed He could take away their sorrow, heal the wounded heart, and also bring the spirit of her brother, Lazarus, back to life. Mary is used to Jesus’ feet, knowing his power of resurrection and well-grounded in the word of God. This helped her faith in the presence of Jesus during the turbulent time and eventually, the miracle came.
Today, it is important for us to learn to separate ourselves from the crowd and choose to fall at the feet of our Saviour. Sitting in pity and sympathy and surrounding ourselves with the crowd of sympathisers will not help but rather make us lose all. Get up! Quit ye like men! Pray with the word of God, claim his promises, and surround yourself with people who can increase your faith, love, and passion to worship God, instead of the multitude of grieving friends. The expected miracle will surely come. Your Lazarus will surely rise again!
PRAYER: Father, help me to stay at your feet until my sorrow turns to sweetness and pain to pleasure, Amen.
