"Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
- John 11:40
 
After four days of mourning had passed Jesus came to Bethany. He is now standing before the cave that shelters the lifeless body of Lazarus. Around Him stood Martha, Mary and a group of weeping friends. Jesus asked the bystanders to remove the stone that bars the entrance, but Martha interferes. She dreads the removal of the stone and . . .

"Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
- John 11:40
 
After four days of mourning had passed Jesus came to Bethany. He is now standing before the cave that shelters the lifeless body of Lazarus. Around Him stood Martha, Mary and a group of weeping friends. Jesus asked the bystanders to remove the stone that bars the entrance, but Martha interferes. She dreads the removal of the stone and the evidences of corruption. Jesus gently chides her with the question: "Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of  God?"
 
Standing before the grave of Lazarus, whose body was corrupting the LORD demanded something of those who longed for a miracle.They might have questioned, LORD, Thou art going to raise the dead; why canst Thou not move his heavy stone with but a word, or a thought?
 
Herein lies a great principle: The LORD will not do by a miracle what we are to do by obedience. Is there a stone He wants you to roll away? Is there some hard, unyielding attitude; someone you will not forgive, some unconfused sin; some step of obedience He awaits? It is ours to obey, it is His to do the miracles.
 
The same principle accounts for the fact that Jesus did not unwind the spice-laden bandages from Lazarus. Christ did a mighty work, but He also commanded the people to do something for themselves. Applying this to the matter of illness, the LORD wants us to use whatever means are available to relieve our suffering, even while we pray for strength and healing. To refuse medical aid is not faith but presumption.
 
Christian friends, Jesus will not roll away the stone from the problem in your life if the solution is within your own power. You must do your part, that's one thing Jesus won't do for you. One day Jesus will again be at the cemetery and when He gives the command, all the dead who believed in Him will "come forth". What a day that will be.
 
I wondered why the LORD refused
To solve my problems sore,
Until one day I read His Word
And found I should do more.
 
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - Imploring God for miracles is no substitute for employing  God-given means.