Part 64

JESUS loved _Lazarus_, and yet _Lazarus_ was sick. And what do his sisters do for him now he is sick? No doubt they applied to a physician, for it is tempting GOD to neglect making use of means for the recovery of our health, when it is impaired. But then they were not guilty of _Asa_’s crime, “who sought to the physicians, but not to the LORD.” No; they knew the most skilful prescriptions would be of no effect, unless attended with a blessing from JESUS the Great and Almighty Physician; and therefore his sisters sent unto him, probably at the beginning of their brother’s illness. How unlike is their conduct, to that of the generality of people, especially the rich and great! How unfashionable is it now-a-days for persons to send to JESUS in behalf of their sick relations! It is so very uncustomary, that in some places, if a minister be sent for to a sick person, it is a sad symptom that the patient is almost past hopes of recovery. Thus did not _Martha_ and her sister _Mary_; they sent unto JESUS, though he was now beyond _Jordan_, (chapter x. 40.) where he abode, or chiefly resided, for some time. Hence it was that they knew where to send to him. But what kind of message did they send? A very humble and suitable one. “LORD, Behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.” They might have said, LORD, he who loveth thee is sick. But they knew, that our love was not worth mentioning, and that we love JESUS only because he first loved us. Besides, here is no prescribing to our LORD what he should do, or what means he should make use of. They do not so much as say, We pray thee to come, or only speak the word, and our sick brother shall be restored. They simply tell JESUS the case, knowing it was sufficient barely to lay it before an infinitely compassionate Redeemer, and leave it to him to act according to his own sovereign good-will and pleasure. “LORD, Behold he whom thou lovest is sick.” Oh how sweet is it when the soul is brought to this! And with what a holy confidence may we pray to, and intercede with the holy JESUS, when we have reason to hope, that those we pray and intercede for, are lovers of, and are beloved of him! For his eyes are in a peculiar manner over the righteous, and his ears always open to their prayers. This was their message, and it soon reached JESUS CHRIST. And how does he receive it? We are told, verse 4. “When JESUS heard that, (that he whom he loved was sick) He said, this sickness is not unto death, but unto the glory of GOD, that the Son of GOD may be glorified thereby.” To whom these words were spoken is not certain. In all probability, JESUS spake them to the persons that delivered _Martha_’s and _Mary_’s message. And if so, it was no doubt a comfortable answer for the present, though it must afterwards puzzle them as well as the disciples how to explain it, when they found that _Lazarus_ was actually dead. “This sickness is not unto death,” not unto an abiding death, because he intended to raise him again, soon after his decease. It is like that expression of our LORD in St. _Mark_, “The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth;” which must not be understood in a literal, but metaphorical sense. And this and such-like instances, ought to teach us to weigh carefully our blessed LORD’s words, and to wait for an explication of them, by subsequent providences; otherwise we shall be in danger of misapplying them, and thereby bring our souls into unspeakable bondage. “This sickness is not unto death, but unto the glory of GOD, that the Son of GOD may be glorified thereby.” This is the end both of the afflictions and the deaths of GOD’s people. By all that happens to them he will be glorified one way or another, and cause every thing to work together for their good. And who then but would be content to be sick, or willing to submit to death itself, if so be the Son of GOD may be glorified thereby? This answer, no doubt, proceeded from love. For we are told,