When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. John 11:43 (NIV)

 

Greetings to you in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,

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Have you ever wondered what would have happened if people did not respond to Jesus? If the hemorrhaging woman did not touch the hem of his garment, if people with leprosy did not ask to be cleaned of their leprosy, if someone had not given Jesus the food for the feeding of the five thousand, would there have been no miracles? I believe Jesus would have found other people who would have been blessed by his ministry, but those who did not respond would have remained sick or hungry.

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We do not need to worry whether Lazarus would respond, because Jesus had told us earlier that he knows his sheep and he knew that Lazarus was one of those sheep. He knew that Lazarus knew the voice of his shepherd and would come when Jesus called.

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Do you realize that Jesus also knows your name? He knows your name and you recognize his voice. When you are at the edge of death, or feel overwhelmed by misfortune, or submerged by severe illness, Jesus can call you from those dangerous situations into newly restored health, or a peace that surpasses the troubles that you are experiencing, or into a deeper relationship with God. Just as Jesus called us Lazarus out of the tomb, Jesus calls us out of the grave of despair, the tomb of loneliness, and the cemetery of broken dreams. I ask you to listen for the voice of Jesus, so that he can call you into the greener pastures of love, the fertile fields of truthfulness, and the magnificent views of eternal life and so that you do not miss the more abundant life Jesus offers.

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If you wish to mail a check, you can use the following address: First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 69, Schaller, Iowa 51053, or you can drop the check off at the State Bank of Schaller.

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Please pray for our leaders. Pray for the people of Gaza, Israel, Ukraine, and Russia. Pray for Mark Diersen, Dexter Meseck, Steve Schaefer, and Shelly Fenner. Pray for the churches in our Presbytery who do not have a pastor. Pray for our schools. Continue to pray for the people on our prayer list. Pray for our Purple Gang program. Let us pray for our troops who are still deployed overseas and for those who are struggling with their wartime experiences.

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May God bless and keep you,

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Michael